Path Of Legends HxD
by Itherael
Summary: Destiny... said to be cruel, fearsome, unbreakable... It dictates the flow of time, it dictates the flow of history. The indestructible chains that bind it, that made it unchanging and unavoidable, were now painted Crimson. A new journey, a new world, where Gods were not out of his reach, where Evil was powerful and mighty, Link will rise as both a Brave Hero and... as a Dark God.
1. Quit Being a Hero, Probably Not

**Welcome to my new story. Long story short, I don't own legend of Zelda nor High School DxD, because frankly speaking, if I did, I would be earning money with it and maybe, I would be making an anime of Zelda, which I think we need by this point, but ignore this complain.**

 **Yep, sadly I don't own anything, but hell, what can I do?**

 **If you are new to the kind of stories I write, before proceeding to the story, open a tab to my profile as it will explain how I work. First off, my profile will take you to another one that belongs to the story you are reading. The profile of the story will feature links of songs that I recommend you to listen in certain parts as you read, and like a light novel, I have and will continue to create images for each chapter that will give this story the look of a light novel.**

 **By all means I recommend you to enter my profile before anything, but, I'm not forcing anyone to do it, if you like the extras I'm giving you, then be my guest, if not, well… what can I do?**

 **Also, the blackened images in the cover will be revealed as the story advances, so when a new chapter is published, check the cover using the link in the profile of this story. Thanks to PupsIsMyDog, DJexe, Nara257 and Crucifix HiME** **for the help and support.**

 **Now, enjoy the start of a new adventure of the Hero of Time and the beginning of the plot of my Itherverse. This will be one hell of an adventure, so expect epic battles, funny interactions and the awesomeness that Link and his other self, the Fierce Deity will unleash!**

 **You have been warned.**

 **\- Frank**

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 **Path of Legends: Hero X Devil**

 **Life 0: Quit Being a Hero, Probably Not.**

" **THOU, YoUng Hero, whO WiLL DeFYeSt The lAwS oF HeaVEn anD hEll, AWAKEN! FoR thOU SHaLt mEeT wiTH The CriMSoN DeSTIny ThaT ThInE Own GodDesSEs haST ChoSEn fOR ThEe!"**

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 **Part 1**

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 01

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He opened his eyes very slowly and his blurred vision readjusted to the surroundings. He blinked several times while waiting for his sight to become clear. It was not crystal clear but…clear enough. A cream coloured ceiling came into view, yet it was not from the room, but of the luxurious bed he was resting upon.

The nineteen year old man let out a weary sigh, his left hand trailing over the soft and thin fabric the sheet were made of. His hand then stopped before it began to move faster, patting around the empty area of the bed.

 _(Maybe that was just a dream, but that voice… was it another…?)_

The young man whose hair was as brilliant as gold sat over the comfy bed, yawning as he did with arms stretching upward. His sapphire blue eyes peered through the almost transparent purple fabric that hung over the bed's entirety, as he noticed the sunlight entering from the rather big balcony window doors.

That meant one thing for him. It was time to leave.

The naked blond man with pointed ears stood on his feet and walked towards the bathroom across the hall. Inside, he stepped into the roomy shower, using an advanced hydraulic magical system created by one of the most renowned alchemists of this Era. Zubora, along with his partner, Gabora, an expert blacksmith, had built it.

The system consisted of elemental magical orbs and steel pipes, when put together, had created this very useful invention. Not necessarily an amazing creation, but it really improved the hygiene of the populace. That's why the Ruler of the mythical **Kingdom of Hyrule** had been spreading this invention around to every province bit by bit.

Though it was not like anyone was interested in knowing that.

Back to the scene at hand, the blond shook his head after drying himself with finely-made towels, finally noticing the luxurious objects and decorations within the bathroom. To begin with, the pipes were made of gold, the toilet and the sink made of smooth white porcelain, an expensive material exported from another kingdom.

Nothing of real interest to him really.

Back from the bathroom, the man observed the decorations of the guest room he spent the last night in. The solid stonewalls were mostly covered by paintings of different sizes which displayed beautiful scenery of different locations inside Hyrule. There was also masterfully crafted furniture, the big and comfortable bed, a large mirror, a bookshelf and a two-seat sofa that covered most of the bedroom. Finally, a golden chandelier hung from the room's ceiling.

To put things in a nutshell, the room where the blond man slept last night was worthy of a noble. It was funny to think that that he didn't consider himself one, despite his current circumstances. After all, he was inside of one of the many chambers of the **Hyrule Castle** , the seat of Hyrule's monarchical government and home of the **Royal Family**.

The young blond man whose name was **Link** , once called **Hero of Time** , though in another timeline or dimension, massaged his neck as he walked over the soft carpet that covered the stony floor. The carpet felt so comforting on his bare feet. As he was standing there, he reached over to the bed and picked up one of the pillows. Reaching inside, he then pulled out two small pouches.

When both pouches came in contact with his hands, a soft sky-blue light enveloped him for a mere second before a whole outfit materialized onto his body.

A set of white leggings and an undershirt beneath a green tunic, together with brown gauntlets and boots. A three-point belt with an empty scabbard was strapped to Link's back. Finally, a long, floppy green cap donned over his head.

The young man, garbed in green, adjusted the pouches at both sides of his belt before accommodating his gauntlets and then his cap. Link then peered stoically over at the large mirror near the door that led to the corridor.

The rather athletic build, the handsome face and the confident smile he sported across his lips; it could only establish that Link was, as many women have stated about him, much to his surprise and sometimes discomfort, a very attractive and charming man… the latter may be attributed to his kind and sarcastic personality though.

Link folded his arms and then put a thoughtful hand on his chin as he decided today's course of action.

There were so many things that Link wanted to do now that he had finally returned to Hyrule after the rather… interesting adventures he'd had in otherworldly lands.

However, one thing came first before leaving.

He had to say goodbye to a certain young woman that lived within the castle. The Princess that would eventually become the Ruler of the Kingdom, whom happened to be an acquaintance of his.

Her name, of course, was **Zelda**.

Link sighed, knowing that he was not particularly good with saying farewells to those he considered a friend, much less to the woman that was closest to him. It started when Link simply ran away when his childhood friend **Saria** , came to bid farewell to him the day he departed from his home within the forest as a young child.

Yes, he sucked at saying good-bye, and he would had left without saying a word as usual if the person involved was anyone but the princess of Hyrule.

Link was an adventurer, a man of the road, and before that, a protector. Whether it was this Kingdom or any other, he would always extend his hand to those that needed it. Even if it meant fighting the most terrible evils of the world, which he actually had done, and not even a soul could deny it.

This was one of the many reasons he travelled constantly and had yet to even think of staying in a place for life.

Honestly, that kind of life would have been boring, and it wouldn't have allowed him to meet the countless adversaries and allies that he now possessed. So many lives saved because Link simply stumbled upon them during his travels.

The Hyrule-born male opened the door and left the guest room. A long corridor extended out before him with many doors that led to other guest rooms, so he ignored them and proceeded to the left end of the corridor, where double doors awaited him.

Link entered a big hall with multiple chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling while the red coloured banners that hung on the walls displayed symbols related to the Royal Family of Hyrule, such as images of the goddesses whom created the world, **Nayru** , **Din** and **Farore**. Others showed images of a **Red Bird** , the **Spiritual Stones** and symbols related to a mysterious race known as the **Sheikah** , also called the Shadow Folk.

Beautifully carved columns were positioned across the hall, and the glasswork of the large windows located on the left wall contained detailed symbols that represented the temples located across Hyrule in their design. Each glass allowed in a glow of a different colours to the hall, creating a rather lively atmosphere.

"Good morning, sir!"

Link glanced at the source of the male voice, his blue eyes meeting the brown-coloured ones of the guard stationed by the door. The light armour, helmet alongside a lance as their main weapon, was the customary equipment found on guards of the Kingdom. However, the ones inside the castle carried the emblem of the Royal Family on the chest plate of their armour.

Link simply nodded in acknowledgement at the greeting and continued to walk, noticing two more guards coming his way. At close range, a third person appeared hidden by the two, someone he actually knew.

 **Impa** , a woman with tan skin, red eyes, and light blue hair that wore chest armour over a purple and black outfit, she widened her eyes upon noticing him, smiling bashfully as she paced quickly towards his location.

Link raised his eyebrows, recalling that she became his mentor not only during his growth in Hyrule, but during the time Link fought in another time to defeat the Evil King. Being the last of the **Sheikah Tribe** , an ancient ninja clan that was sworn to protect the Royal family, Impa had become the protector of the royal Princess… and her confidant as well.

"Link! You are finally awake, I see," Impa greeted cheerfully while crossing her arms. "Your sleeping habits never change," The woman chuckled as both guards at her side nodded in respect to the blonde in front of them. "I assume that you are leaving once again."

The green-clad warrior nodded.

"The King would have liked to see you, but he's travelled to Holodrum to attend some diplomatic issues with the Major of that Kingdom," She stepped close to him and whispered to his ear. "I assume that the Princess didn't mention that last night."

Link blinked at the implications and raised an inquisitive brow at the woman, which only caused her to chuckle again as she patted his back playfully. Impa had that irritating ability to get on his nerves so easily, as if she was some sort of older sister that knew all of his soft spots. Considering she was like a guardian to him in his younger years, this was not a surprise.

 _(So it was not a dream… I'll be damned…)_

"Don't give me that face, Link. I was just joking. When did my skilled protégée become such an earnest lad?" The blond rolled his eyes at her nonchalant reaction. "Anyhow, I will send word of your arrival to the King. Your unexpected arrival last night didn't really give us time to greet you properly."

The silent warrior nodded again, and finally spoke.

"Give the king my regards after he returns when you see to him personally," A tiny smile graced his lips. "Where is the Princess, by the way? I was planning to bid my farewell to her."

"Just saw her actually," Impa glanced over her shoulder. "She is in her room," Her expression softened while resting a hand over his shoulder. "Link, you just arrived yesterday. Why don't you stay a while longer? Princess Zelda has been waiting expectantly for your return all this time."

The blond warrior lowered his gaze to the ground, as if thinking profoundly. He had been away from Hyrule for twenty months during his last travel. It was with the purpose of searching for his long lost friend and companion, **Navi** , a fairy that had accompanied and helped him throughout his first grand adventure as both child and adult.

But that search was unexpectedly interrupted by otherworldly forces.

Link couldn't understand why Navi chose to leave when they returned to the time where they both belonged, and after a glorious victory from the infernal battle that both faced against the **Evil King**.

Even after so many years, he had yet to understand the fairy's actions. She had always been unpredictable.

Since then, Link had travelled many times to search for Navi, but had never succeeded in actually finding her, much to his dismay. However, he was not a man to give up, given that nine years had passed since she left and he still harboured the hope of finding her.

His mind soon returned to the present, sharp eyes looking at the woman that taught him to fight skilfully with a sword and many other weapons, while training him to be as swift and agile as the wind and to move like a shadow in the night.

"I truly appreciate the offer Impa, but I won't. The Princess will have to understand."

Impa unavoidably sighed. The young warrior always gave that very same response every time he chose to leave. She had known the man in front of her since he was but a mere child, the brave boy that had become the courageous warrior he was today. He wasn't anything like she had seen before, that's for sure.

As a child, Link was far more mature than any man she had seen when certain situations occurred, not to mention the unpolished, yet incredible skills, he possessed as a swordsman and marksman, even casting a few certain spells of unbelievable power.

Another shocking trait about Link, in her honest opinion, was his fearless and determined demeanour whilst facing danger. This she witnessed for the first time was when the eleven year old boy had fended off a large group of thieves that had tried to assault a group of caravans... alone. Another worth mentioning trait was his self-reliant personality, displayed towards her and the Princess when Link often announced that he would travel on his own to unknown territories far from the Kingdom.

Not only had he exposed the Gerudo ambassador's traitorous plans of attacking Hyrule Castle, but he revealed events of a future that had yet to come, explaining with surreal conviction and a maturity not seen in any child his age, of the **Dark Age** that would befall Hyrule, if he wasn't heard.

His definite proof was, of course, the Golden mark that materialized upon his hand that revealed he was no mere boy. To the King's surprise, and his daughter's, the mark on Link's hand resonated with the one that appeared on Zelda's hand when the boy had grabbed it. Both carried two of the three pieces that conformed the sacred relic left by the Goddesses after the creation of Hyrule; the **Triforce**.

This sacred relic could grant any wish to whomever that touched it. But if a person without an equal balance in power, wisdom, and courage was to get hold of it, the Triforce would inevitably split apart in three segments, only the piece that best personified the wish-maker would remain on hand while the two other fragments would emerge in whomever were to be worthy of them.

It was for that reason the mythical **Triforce of Courage** had chosen Link as its wielder. The Sacred Relic couldn't have chosen better in Zelda's opinion, because if one considered who she was and what godly piece the Princess held, then there was no better an opinion than her's.

However, it did not make any sense for some, because Link had felt the Triforce of Courage abandon him when he returned to his own era to live out his childhood after his grand first adventure. Supposedly, the complete sacred relic should have returned to the Sacred Realm, but several days had passed since his return before Link sensed the sacred relic emerge once more upon his hand.

The King decided to watch over the boy that happened to have no parents. As the King was truly grateful towards the boy, he offered Link to become a Prince, which would have made him a noble, advantages and benefits included, yet, to everyone's surprise, the blond boy airily rejected the offer, stating that he was not the kind that would enjoy life as a noble.

This proved that Link was welcomed inside the Royal palace.

Impa still carried many doubts about this mysterious boy as did Princess Zelda and the King, but Link had showed them time and again that he was sincere when he told them he just wanted to help and prevent tragedy.

However, Impa could never stop wondering… who was this boy?

"It was good to see you, again," Link spoke up, taking Impa out of her musings. "Take care and keep protecting Zelda as you have done all this time."

"You always say the same thing every time," The woman said as she smiled with amusement. "And I will answer you the same way I always did regardless…" She paused. "You don't need to say it as I will always protect the Princess until death claims my life."

And that's all Link needed to hear before saying goodbye to his mentor, "I will be on my way, then…" Link walked past the woman and two guards, but stopped mid-way when he heard Impa speak.

"Link, are you planning to investigate the Lost Woods again?" The boy glanced at her over his shoulder. "What if you don't return this time?"

The bearer of Courage stared at her sternly.

"I will."

And just like that, he walked away with determined steps. Impa saw him disappear from her sight when he entered a door in the hall, scratching her cheek in mild nervousness.

His sharp expression was quite intimidating.

"He is for sure a man of few words," One of the two guards stated as he removed his helmet, revealing short brown hair and a beard. "Are the rumours about him real?"

"Rumours? What sort of rumours?" Impa inquired.

"They say he managed to become a Gerudo by some sort of contract when he personally defeated their most powerful lieutenants after infiltrating their Fortress alone."

"Well I heard that he has travelled to the Temples located across Hyrule only to gather its ancient treasures. And I heard most were gadgets or magic weapons no one has ever seen or heard of!" The other guard spoke with excitement, making his brown haired companion raise an eyebrow.

"So the rumour about the ancestral and mighty weapons was true?"

"They also say that he is a shape shifter, capable of transforming into a variety of creatures using some sort of magical artefacts."

Impa remained silent as both men continued to share the apparent gossips of the mysterious warrior that has become a notable celebrity inside the Kingdom. Not because he helped discover the Gerudo Ambassador's true intentions, which none, exempt from a small group of individuals even knew. But for the many times Link had protected the Kingdom from external threats, such as monsters, evil wizards, and the sort.

Despite that he travelled quite often, Link would always show up when Hyrule was in danger, as the Hero chosen by the goddesses, as the light of hope that would make the darkness disappear in its shining glory.

A valiant **Saviour** ; a brave **Hero**.

Eventually, the green-clad Hylian became quite well known due to his heroic deeds all across the Kingdom, earning the respect of the population. He also earned the respect of most nobles, however, there were those that often saw him as a threat.

Either way, Impa, protector of the Royal Princess, couldn't help but to feel amused by the rumours that were constantly spread about him, since she knew that every single one of them were true.

 **Part 2**

Link stood in front of brown double doors, both covered with intricate patterns. At each side, a guard stood firmly, observing him from head to toe. Seconds passed as Link crossed his arms, waiting for Zelda to respond after one of the guards did him the 'favour' of knocking upon the door.

Two minutes passed, no one responded.

"I assume the Princess can't attend you right now. You should come back later, sir."

 _(Impa just saw the princess… so…)_

"I see…" Link muttered, assuming a thoughtful expression, "I'll wait…"

The guard frowned under his helmet, "Sir, are you really going to wait for the Princess to respond?" He couldn't believe that this boy, dressed in green, was allowed to wander the castle despite not being related to the King or a noble, even coming to see the Princess in her own room.

Even if he was a considered Hero, to be a friend of the Royal Princess was something entirely different.

Link nodded before asking, "You two are new?"

"Yes, sir. We were part of the platoon in charge of protecting the northern Outpost that watches over Noncoli Town for the last months and were just reassigned to return to the Castle. Guarding the Princess's chambers is now our duty."

Link's blue eyes scanned them briefly, and he nodded again before crossing his arms.

"I see," The blond smiled. "Very well then, could you knock the door again?" Both guards exchanged looks of incredulity at the request. "If you two are new around here, it's normal that you don't know that I normally have free access to every room in the Castle, and this one is no exception, but I won't go in unless I'm allowed to."

Link's explanation was followed by another exchange of looks between the guards. At first, they were doubtful, but the blonde sounded sincere and his eyes showed truthfulness. Still, how could they let him enter the Princess's room like that? If they were to endanger the Princess's wellbeing, they would surely be executed.

"With all due respect sir, we haven't been informed about this. We will not let you in until we receive proof of your words or an order from our superiors."

Link smirked.

"Good. That's how it has to be," The swordsman commented in approval. "I now understand why you two have been put in charge of such an important task as to guard the Princess's chambers. I'll be on my way."

The young man garbed in green turned around and headed towards the same direction he came, startling both guards in the process.

"That was odd…" The guard said to his companion, both unaware that Link had put on a certain mask, his presence concealed...

 **o-0-O-0-o**

A green orb of light materialized inside a bedroom before it expanded, completely illuminating every corner for just a second. When the light faded, Link appeared where the green orb once floated, and with this, he successfully infiltrated Princess Zelda's room undetected.

He had to thank both his magical mask, called the **Stone Mask** , which hid his presence and made him invisible upon wearing it, and one of the few magical skills he possessed and managed to control it perfectly after training with Zelda herself, given to him by one of the **Great Fairies** of Hyrule. The spell was called **Farore's Wind** , which allowed him to teleport small distances and warp to where green orbs were created by his will.

Of course, Link could only teleport to spots within his sight, or create the green orbs of light as long as he could see the place clearly, however, as he improved this spell, Link could create the orbs of light in places his mind remembered with vivid clarity, like his house in the **Kokiri Forest** , the field of **Lon Lon Ranch** , Zelda's and Malon's bedrooms, among others.

The distance however, in which he could create the orbs always remained the same, exactly eleven meters away from him. Nevertheless, if Link had chosen to leave the orbs in a certain place, and go to the other half of the world, as long as Link maintained it by using his magic energy, he could warp back to where he'd left it.

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 02

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Link glanced around and noticed the room was empty; Zelda was not in her room.

 _(That explains why she didn't answer.)_

Link treaded through the luxurious room, examining its features. Zelda's bedroom was a combination of what he would call 'A bedroom fitting of the royal Princess, yet one of a teenage girl regardless'.

The finely-crafted furniture, the expensive-looking silk mantles with gold embroideries that covered the drawer, the tiny table by the balcony, the sides of the bookshelf, the soft carpeted floor, the gold ornaments, and the other decorations showed this was indeed a room fitting of Zelda's position.

There were some stuffed animals over the bookshelf that still remained in good condition despite the years Zelda had played with them as a mere child. Link had to smile amusedly as he could see that she still held onto some of the innocence she possessed in the past.

Compared to the guest room Link slept in, this bedroom held an ever more noticeable air of luxury and extravagance that was honestly somewhat distasteful to him. It was not bad, but it was not his style.

Link let out a soft chuckle when he recalled the countless times he had visited Zelda in her bedroom after the King decided to watch over him. The fond memories that Link would never forget.

"She still keeps the dragon doll, huh…"

Link glanced at the red doll over the large bed as it stood out from the light purple sheets and he leaned slightly closer to give it a closer look. Two big green eyes, a big head, and black wings remained just like when Link bought it as a birthday gift for Zelda when she turned fifteen.

The blonde Hylian sat on the bed and let his body relax over it, feeling the softness of the absurdly comfy bed… it was surreal… He felt like sleeping again…

More memories began to swirl around his mind of a past long gone.

Memories of the time spent with a girl he'd had a crush on since he was a child that eventually… wait, it was too soon to even think about it so Link cleared his mind.

The sudden sound of a door creaking open alerted Link, so he rose to his feet in a mere second, sporting a rather surprised expression. Someone apparently opened a door, but it was not the main entrance. Instead, it was the one that led to the bathroom, and it was not Zelda, but her personal maid, **Migdiada**.

Dark long brown hair under her white headpiece, blue eyes, a rather cute face, a maid outfit composed of a dark blue dress with some sort of collar around her neck, and on her waist a white apron tied. The young man noted the intimidating and notorious neckline that showed off her generous proportions.

The free-spirited adventurer sighed, regaining his composure.

"Sir Link?" Migdiada blinked, startled, putting one hand over her ample chest. "I thought Sir Link was sleeping."

"I was…" Link snorted, eyes tired. "I came to talk with the Princess before leaving."

"I see…" The maid frowned. "I didn't even have the chance to attend to Sir Link properly…"

And there it was again, the maid looking at him slyly with hidden, yet obvious intent. Link couldn't count how many times this girl had flirted with him, only to be ignored as he simply was not interested in her, despite her beauty and stunning proportions.

"Thank you, but don't worry. I never needed anyone to take care of me before, nor do I need it now," Migdiada pouted at such an answer before cracking a smile.

"The Princess is inside the bathroom," The brown-haired maid informed. "Sir Link should go see Lady Zelda," She smiled slyly again, though it gave him a different sensation. "This may be the best moment to do so."

"Thanks Migdiada, but I think I should wait until…"

"The Princess trusts Sir Link completely," Interrupting him, she neared the entrance door, "So I don't think there should be any problem," The young maid grabbed the doorknob, stopping again. "If you'll excuse me, I will prepare the Princess's clothes for today's schedule."

After that, the maid left. Link sighed in uncertainty as his gaze was directed to the door of Zelda's personal bathroom while pondering about his current situation. It was surprising to see how knowledgeable the maid had become of his…unique relationship with the Royal Princess during the three years Migdiada had worked to personally attend Zelda's needs. The young maid was a very intuitive girl.

After building up some courage, Link walked to the closed door, and gulped. While he could simply wait, Link wanted to say his farewell as quickly as he could. The maid said it was a good moment to do it, so why not? Actually, he tried to convince himself that it was just because of Migdiada's advice, yet deep inside, the blond man just wanted to see the Princess promptly.

Link opened the door and stepped inside the room, his eyes widened at the sight before him, his face becoming slightly red. He sort of expected the outcome of his actions, heck, maybe it was the reason why he ventured inside, truth be told.

Zelda was indeed in the bathroom that happened to be thrice as big as the guest bath. Zubora's invention was installed, yet this room also held a sort of bathtub, and to its side were enormous windows that let the sunlight enter, illuminating just about everything.

Link's gaze was focused on the Royal Princess of Hyrule, who was at that moment, washing herself in the aforementioned bath, warm water came out from a spout that resembled a Wild Zora from the southeast lands of the country of **Labrinna**. There were some bottles that most likely were liquid soap, another useful invention of Zubora.

It should be said that according the previous descriptions, one could understand that Zelda was naked, much to Link's inner turmoil. The young princess was sat upon the inner edge of the circular bathtub, foam and bubbles covered the water and the important parts of her beautiful body, worthy of being called godly.

The sight of such beautiful skin exposed to him was alluring, mesmerizing. Link's eyes moved subconsciously across every inch of the woman's figure. Her hip, legs, her back. Her body as a whole neared perfection… he wished he could see more.

"Link…?"

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Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Picture 01

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A voice called his name, the trance broken. The blond warrior blinked, fully realizing his current situation. Link was not one to get carried away because of such events, with a few exceptions of course, namely, a naked Zelda. He could only avert his gaze as he could feel his cheeks getting a bit warmer.

As for the princess, she had finally noticed him, and while still sat, had turned her body slightly, one hand holding her golden hair and the other holding a small blue towel that she used to dry her body. She was glaring at him for reasons Link could already imagine.

"You are already leaving?" She asked, her tone held detectable irritation.

Link nodded, shaking off his now gone agitation. This was not the time to get intimidated. Link knew that, so he focused on the task at hand.

"I'm going back to the Lost Woods to search for Navi."

"Again?" Zelda used the towel to cover her inner parts as she stood up, "Link, you just returned, yet you are leaving already? We…" She stopped, briefly glancing at both sides as if to find the right words. "We… have so much to discuss."

"I know that Zelda," Link looked at her sternly. "But that will have to wait. Saria told me that a lone fairy has been spotted recently and I need to go look into it," Link darkened his gaze, eyes observing his left hand. "I can't lose hope, not just yet."

The Princess sighed, sitting over the bathtub's inner edge again, though this time facing him. The annoying towel still covered her chest and… her other parts. Link had to admit that some bad habits had seemingly stuck with him since his travels with a certain flippant and drunkard white-haired man and the hooded lady's man, as those two flirted with every beautiful woman they came upon, whilst in another world prior to his return to Hyrule.

"Link," A stern voiced addressed the slightly nervous warrior. "Is that really the truth?"

The wielder of Courage blinked, a frown appearing on his face. The Princess was about to start doing what she did best… Being absurdly intuitive.

"What do you mean…?"

"I mean, is searching for Navi the real purpose for your latest travels?" Zelda looked at him directly in the eyes. "You may fool others, Link, but I have known you for nine years now."

Link narrowed his gaze, getting somewhat upset.

"Finding Navi is my main purpose," Link answered before averting his gaze, far enough from her piercing eyes. "She is my valuable partner and friend. Even if I haven't seen or heard of her in all these years, what she was to me hasn't changed," The blond man made a fist. "Not to mention that traveling constantly has been my way of living since being a kid."

Drops of water continued to fall from Zelda's golden hair, while other drops trailed down across her naked body, some stopping on the towel, others moving across her hip until they met the solid surface of the bathtub.

A minute of silence elapsed as both stared at each other.

"Link," She began. "I know you've already given up on finding her," Just when Link was about to retort, she continued, unmoved by his distress. "You have been using Navi as an excuse to not remain in the Castle. Don't try to deny it, because you know it's the truth."

Link dropped his gaze.

"You are a born-adventurer, Link. No one can deny that. I have seen your excitement every time you prepared to leave the castle, and I understood that," Zelda lowered her gaze for some seconds until her radiant blue eyes met his again. "But please, don't lie to me."

With both hands resting on his hips, the young hero sighed as he had to admit that Zelda was correct… again… as always. The Princess of Hyrule was not like any girl he had ever met during his travels across this Kingdom as well as others… she was just too darn perceptive for his liking.

Zelda was a scholar at heart, impassive when facing hard times and danger. Confident and keen in every argument, capable of reading through anyone's actions and very diligent when she was to solve problems, mostly of diplomatic nature. Not to mention that she was a really capable spell caster due to her affinity towards magic. Of course, the **Triforce of Wisdom** she held was part of the many reasons she could handle magic with ease. There was no doubt for Link to discern why she held that particular part of the Triforce as he knew very well of her wisdom.

These sort of discussions were a headache to him because Zelda always had the upper hand. Even if Link was to be right, Zelda would easily turn the tables and get the last word. If one would add this to how much she knew him, it could be said that Zelda could read him like an open book, and win almost every argument.

Link concluded that Zelda's intelligence was rather fearsome.

"What do you want me to say?" Link inquired sternly.

"The real reason on why you keep leaving to begin with…" Zelda's face suddenly turned a bit red, her eyes fixated on the Cucco toy that floated on the water. "It's hard for me to see you go, unsure of what your destiny will be. There are so many dangers, and you tend to stand in their way for one reason or another."

"I'm technically a knight of the Castle, a Hyrule Warrior. I know how to defend myself, and I have proved it countless times," Link responded with a firm tone. "Impa trained me and taught me the Sheikah hidden arts, too. I don't understand why you still worry about my safety."

"Because no matter what you say, I care about you," Zelda retorted. "You do know how I feel about you…" She leaned her head a bit to the side, her legs moving across the water in a very intimate manner. "Don't you think it's the time for you to settle down? Maybe… become more than just an unofficial Hyrule Knight…?"

Link stared at her thoughtfully after she spoke those words with a soft tone, fully understanding the implications of her offer.

"…Zelda," Link addressed her after sighing, her deep gaze colliding with his. "I can't… not just yet…"

"Why not?" Zelda kept staring at him, barely blinking. "Explain to me why, or is it that you can't? Is it Malon?"

Link's face took on a serious expression as he remained silent for a whole minute.

"She has nothing to do with this. If someone is to blame, then blame me," Zelda's eyes widened and that did not go unnoticed. "Listen, there are still so many things I want to do before I even consider to settle down. Places to go, new lands to explore, new dangerous foes to defeat. My life belongs to the goddesses and my Kingdom. And my sword to the people that may need it. Right now, that's all for me."

"I see…" A weak smile emerged on the Princess's face. "I am now regretting having asked you that…" Zelda let out a resigned chuckle after speaking sarcastically, eventually making Link smile in odd amusement. "It can't be helped, I suppose…"

"I'm sorry Zelda."

"You better be…" This time, the beautiful princess averted her eyes from him for a minute, eventually returning to him with gleam, "Then what are you waiting for? I thought you were leaving. Or maybe last night broke your resolve?"

Link couldn't help his face going red but quickly shrugged it off. A sly smile spread across the features of the blonde woman as she saw his reaction.

It was amusing how Zelda behaved when they were alone. She didn't act as overly formal as she did in front of her father or the guards. She had revealed to him over the years that she loved putting her position as a Princess to one side and just enjoy life. After all, Link had helped her multiple times in sneaking out of the castle to go and play in the market as kids. And when she grew, Link had taken her to visit the **Lon Lon Ranch** , **Lake Hylia** , **Kakariko Village** and the other places that interested her.

Some uncomfortable seconds passed.

"Certainly not," He finally responded, assuming a haughty posture, as he realized it was time for his sort of counter attack. "I will take my leave, my dear Princess…" Link smiled cockily all of a sudden, walking towards her and grabbing her delicate hand, before giving it a gentle kiss.

Widened eyes and a flushed face was all Link needed to see on the Princess before taking a step back and turning around.

Her silence was somehow soothing to him, as the only way he had discovered to perplex her, worked yet again.

It seemed Zelda tended to blush heavily when he acted like a charming and polite gentleman, which he only did because a nice nobleman had taught him the ways of captivating women. Some ridiculous, others informative yet Link found out that it worked on Zelda quite well. And upon other experimentation, Link realized that it actually worked with almost every woman he tried it on.

Link regretted doing it as it not only caused him unwanted trouble, but he felt like crap for deceiving and giving false hopes of love to them.

The blonde Hylian was not like those wealthy nobles that used their position and attractiveness to make women infatuated with them, only to cheat on them with the other deceived women. Though he had met women that did likewise with men. Whatever, being a philanderer was not an exclusive feature of nobles as he had noticed during his growth. Men and women alike, of all varied social status, could be frivolous.

However, having an empty-headed, flirty and flippant personality didn't really mean that one was a hedonistic person in search of love. That **Red-coated** guy was the prove.

'Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none, and fight for good,' that's what a wise old man had told him once when Link wandered through Hyrule Market. It didn't make much sense to him as a mere child, yet as he grew, those words remained branded in his mind as a way of life.

Even in the darkest of times, those words shone with intensity inside his very being.

Link couldn't tell if he truly felt love, as that sentiment was hard to explain and impossible to understand. He never really thought of it as important because he knew that stopping evil in the world had a higher priority. It was just too soon for that, and now with the refreshed memories of what almost occurred last night, Link felt bad for having… not reacting like he should have.

"Link…" The unofficial Hyrule Knight stopped on his tracks when the Royal Princess called out to him. "I hope you find Navi this time… I know how hard it was for you that day she left you… Please, don't be reckless and… come back soon…"

"I will. That is a promise."

Link closed the door behind him and breathed deeply, musing profoundly about his conversation with Zelda for a minute or two. After that, a green light enveloped him, and Link disappeared from the room, the same way he came into it.

 **Part 3**

Link stood inside the stables of Hyrule Castle, caressing the head of **Epona** , his faithful silver bay horse and partner since his very first adventure.

After gaining her trust when a certain girl taught him **Epona's Song** , she had become his loyal steed, much to the ranch girl's surprise. Epona had always acted wild and untamed to everyone, even shying from Link the first time he approached her. Eventually, Epona grew fond of Link as a certain ranch girl had nodded in approval.

A whinny came from the mare, causing Link's smile to widen. He caressed her neck for a minute and then sat on some pilled wooden boards as he gathered his thoughts.

"What am I doing…?" Link muttered to himself.

The Hylian boy shook his head, letting out a resigned sigh as he knew that Zelda had most likely become upset by his sudden departure, albeit temporarily. It was amusing that his next destination was going to take him to do the same, but with another close friend of his.

Her name by all means was… **Malon**.

Standing back on his feet, Link neared his horse but was unexpectedly pushed by the mare's head. Link blinked a couple of times and smiled, petting her head.

"Let's go, Epona. It's time to pay Lon Lon Ranch a visit."

 **Part 4**

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 03

* * *

"Hyah!"

With speed like no other, Link rode Epona across the enormous **Hyrule Field** , following the road that connected **Castle Town** and the cattle Ranch. As it was located in the central region of Hyrule field, it was taking him a rather large amount of time to reach it.

On the way, Link found a caravan that also had Lon Lon Ranch as its destination, drove by **Talon** , the owner of said ranch that happened to be returning home after delivering the famous and nutritious **Lon Lon Milk** and other milk-based products to the market stores in Castle Town, Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle itself, as the King also knew of the quality of Lon Lon Ranch's products.

The little chat with Talon as they neared the ranch was quite informative. He told him that they now exported milk to other countries. **Ingo** , the short-tempered man that had now become Talon's right hand, had travelled to **Holodrum** to open another cattle ranch to expand their business. They now were aiming to open a new ranch in **Gamelon** , a small country ruled by the King's cousin, **Duke Onkled** , and **Calatia** , a hidden Kingdom located at the far west of **Death Mountain** ruled by **Queen Seline**.

In other matters of interest, Talon said that **Prince Façade** of the wealthy Kingdom of **Arcadia** , had come himself to witness the work done in the ranch, and had become their sponsor, one of the main reasons that allowed them to open a ranch in Holodrum. However, what caught Link's real interest about this was that Prince Façade was impressed by Malon's beauty and her laborious personality, to the point that he had not only offered her to open the greatest cattle ranch of all time in Arcadia, but also become his future wife.

Of course, Malon had rejected his proposal, which truthfully relieved Link, even if it was not his business. Nevertheless, Link had come to know that most Princes were the sort who loved playing and tricking girls with no nobility, so there was no way he was going to let a man hurt his dear friend.

No way at all. If it came to it, just as a certain acquaintance of his said once to an enemy, he would just kick his ass.

Finally, the Ranch came into view and Link found himself pleasantly surprised upon seeing how big it had become since his last visit. Three more buildings had been constructed with a wall connecting them, making the ranch twice as big as before.

The Hylian warrior dismounted from the horse as Talon's caravan entered through the now bigger entrance with a notorious sign that displayed the name of the ranch, he noticed the guards that Zelda had commanded to patrol the ranch since the horses that were used by Hyrule's army were supplied by this Ranch. Worth mentioning was that after Link introduced Zelda to Malon, both had unexpectedly become friends… not even the most terrifying monsters Link had defeated had made him feel fear as the time both girls met, getting along absurdly well.

That was a dark day indeed…

Link shook off the unpleasant memories from his mind and walked inside the ranch, pulling Epona by the halter. There were a lot of workers in the ranch, some of them doing the cleaning of walls and picking any garbage around. Others lifting and moving boxes from one place to another.

Boxes full of eggs, milk bottles and other dairy products were loaded onto more caravans as a woman by the name of **Anju** chased after the mighty **Cuccos** that had apparently escaped from their corral again. At least this time she had people helping her, now that she started working in the Ranch. Lon Lon Ranch was quite lively with so many people around.

Talon, the fat and bald man with a big moustache, also father of Malon, walked towards Link after leaving his caravan with the others. Link was a bit impressed to see that he didn't slack off as he used to in the past. He had changed over the years for the better, it seemed.

"Father!" A voice called out, irritation clear in it. "It has been two days since you left!"

The voice became clearer as a busty redhead with blue eyes neared the both of them. She sported a white shirt with a yellow shallow around her neck tied together, and a pendant that resembled the head of a creature only seen in books. A long purple skirt with a brown mantle in the front, a brown belt and brown boots completed her outfit.

The quite attractive girl ignored the blonde completely and only glared at the fat man.

"You were supposed to return by yesterday's noon," The woman pointed a finger to Talon's big nose as she continued the scolding. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop sleeping whenever you can if you are doing deliveries!?"

 _(Okay, there goes the thinking about him finally acting like a responsible adult…)_

"It was a long travel, Malon!" Talon retorted, only fuelling his daughter's rage. "I had to sleep a bit so I could complete the deliveries."

"You may be right, so I will change my question," She folded her arms, putting a firm foot forward. "How much did you sleep?"

"Just a couple of hours…"

Fair enough. The distance between Lon Lon ranch and its delivery destinations was quite large, so sleeping was most likely necessary, considering of course the speed of a caravan that carried plenty of boxes filled with bottles of milk and other products. Link could concede that Talon had a point.

"How many times did ya sleep then?" Malon inquired, her expression sharper.

"…Eight times… or twelve maybe?"

A tick mark appeared on her head as she began to yell uncontrollably to her father about how irresponsible he was and all the worries he brought to her. All the various workers had gathered to look upon the certainly hilarious scene. Link was already smiling in amusement.

"Please Malon, don't yell at me… I'm still tired…"

"After sleeping that much? No mister!" Malon shouted, "You are going to feed every cow in the ranch without resting a single moment! Right… Now!"

"But!"

"But nothing!" The busty girl raised a hand and pointed a finger to the cattle stable, "Start walking, mister!"

Dropping his shoulders, Talon started to walk, sighing in resignation.

"Nothing has changed around here…"

Malon blinked upon hearing someone behind her, so she spun around and her mouth opened in surprise. Link looked at his close friend Malon with eyes of uncertainty.

"Fairy bo- I mean, Link…" She said, still startled.

It was then that the read-head realized the stares directed at her from not only the workers but from Epona and Link. A shade of red began to crawl into her cheeks as she finally reacted.

"Oh… eh… p-please return to your labours…" She stuttered. "T-there is nothing else to see here!"

After that, the gathered people returned to their jobs. Malon turned around, giving Link her back as she palmed both her cheeks for some reason. She breathed deeply and finally looked at him.

Link was grinning playfully.

"Stop looking at me with that dumb face," She growled.

"You made quite a show… again…"

"I guess I did, but my father's laziness just makes me so mad! He should be like Mister Ingo."

Link shrugged his shoulders and looked into the distance, where the inner field for the horses were located. The perimeter of the pasture-fenced field only held one entrance, working as a racing track for the horses. Link could remember the horse race hurdle competition that Malon challenged him to do, and the many races he had against her, Ingo, and various soldiers of the Kingdom.

Link always won as he had the best mare in all of Hyrule, his ideal companion Epona.

And speaking of her…

"Oh?" Malon was pushed from her side, and she noticed it was... "Epona! I'm sorry for having ignored you!" The girl hugged the horse. Link could actually tell that both females were happy to see each other, "I missed you so much!" Unexpectedly, an upset stare was directed at Link, "I can imagine whose fault is it that we didn't see each other in so much time…"

The blond warrior was startled by her sudden glare and took the smart response. Link just remained silent… he was a pro at doing that.

"C'mon Epona, let's go for a ride like old times…" She mounted the horse and glanced down at him. "We will be having some just-for-girls time, Link. We'll catch up later…"

With that, Malon rode Epona to the inner field, leaving Link alone. A smile crawled onto his face as he removed his hat, before folding both arms.

"A girl's time huh…?"

 **Part 5**

Everything was black… Link could see nothing… yet, something resounded within the endless darkness. It was like fire burning vividly, but was it? There would be light if it truly was, or was he suddenly blind? He first felt cold, then a smell registered to his senses. Now he could truly tell that something was burning. It was hard to understand what was occurring.

Then something happened as his eyes began to distinguish some kind of shape, but he couldn't really tell what it was…

An unknown amount of time passed as his sight got a bit clearer. Yes, the form in front of him became clearer as a sudden voice spoke forcefully. The deformed voice seeming to come from everywhere.

* * *

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Picture 02

* * *

 **[You are an interesting child, but what makes you think that you can handle my power?]**

The deformed image of a **Red Dragon** breathing fire was all his eyes could see as a scorching feeling started to engulf Link's entire body. It hurt, as if he was being burned alive but he couldn't say anything, he could not scream in pain, all he could do was endure it.

Soon, the mighty voice spoke once again.

 **[Hahaha! You are indeed interesting! Then so be it… Bring glory to my name, partner, as I will bring glory to you!]**

Fire erupted from the Dragon's mouth and enveloped Link completely.

Link closed his eyes and opened them again. The hellish sight was gone, now replaced by a clear blue sky, a soft wind gracing the skin of his face, the grass swaying gently from the breeze _around him._

 _(That was another dream…?)_

Link was currently resting over a grassy field with both hands behind his head.

"...?"

A sound of an animal nearing him made Link close one eye while the other looked above him; it was a white Cucco trying to pull his blond hair. To his relief, the dangerous animal only seemed to be playing.

 **Part 6**

"So… what's the reason of your sudden visit…?"

Link stared at the redhead that was sitting in front of him on the aforementioned grassy field. Both were outside the ranch near an abandoned wooden fence located at the back of the main mill.

"I'm going to explore the Lost Woods again, so before I go, I thought I should leave Epona with you. She deserves a good rest from that last travel."

Malon looked at him blankly, and lowered her head bit.

"Twenty months, Link…" Malon sighed, her left hand grasping the green grass. "Twenty months have passed since I last saw you and what do you do when we finally see each other?"

Link said nothing as was usual, only waiting for her to continue.

"…At least Epona is here…" She muttered.

No visible change occurred with the blond male, his blue eyes just observed her in utter silence, only the wind breaking it in sporadic intervals.

"I… think… I think I missed you…" Malon said softly, dropping her gaze much to his surprise, "And you won't even stay…" She rested both hands on her legs. "You are an idiot…"

Again, Link used the same line he had with Zelda in the morning. Though it took him several seconds to do it.

"I'm sorry Malon," He finally spoke.

Long minutes passed then, absurdly long minutes, both in silence. Link took this time to look at her closely and noticed she looked more feminine than he remembered… maybe it was because of Zelda's influence on her. Malon's hair looked well cared and bright, her skin as well. Link could even smell the unmistakable scent of a perfume coming from the ranch woman.

He couldn't count the memories he had with her. Malon had been a good friend for him since they met as kids, and as both grew, they had become very close. Link could accept that he felt a bit more relaxed around the redhead than with other women, including Zelda, though there were always those awkward times where… well… she was a quite attractive woman and he was certainly not blind.

The male Hylian shook his head, his mind now recalling something more interesting.

"I heard…" Link began, earning her attention. "…That the Prince of Arcadia proposed to you."

Malon did what was expected and blinked in shock, her eyes darting from left to right as she apparently searched in her mind for a response.

"W-w-what? How do you know…?" She made a look of suspicion. "Was it my lazy father?"

The Hylian raised Kokiri simply nodded.

"That indiscreet man…" Gritting her teeth, Malon made a furious fist. "I'm gonna make him clean the entire field by himself!" After that, the woman breathed deeply as if to calm herself. She gazed at him, scratching her cheek nervously. "Erm… you see, I didn't imagine that he would do something like that out of the blue…"

"So... what was your response?" Link inquired with an amused tone, despite knowing the answer.

"I-I obviously rejected his proposal!" Malon exclaimed, mildly irritated. "I would never marry a stranger! Nor an idiotic man that thinks of himself as charming. He was so annoying!"

The Hylian man blinked at her outburst, musing if this subject was just embarrassing to her or if he ignored something that would explain her overreaction. She seemed to be far more disgusted about this topic than the grief Talon caused her on a daily basis. If the nine years Link had known her was anything to go by, this was something worth of consideration.

"I see…" Link made a neutral expression.

"Change that stupid face or I'm going to slap you too!"

Link found himself blinking again before grinning, as he raised both hands to avoid a possible attack. She was the kind of girl that would resort to violence if the circumstances deemed it necessary.

"I never heard the part of slapping the Prince…"

Malon's surprised expression brought a soft chuckle out of him. Chances like this when Link could tease her were few, and now that he had one, he was not going to let it pass for all the riches of the world.

He may regret it later though.

"W-well, he tried to kiss me so he deserved it," Malon crossed her arms, her countenance changing notably as if she realized something in that exact moment. "Why are you asking Link? Are you jealous or something?"

Talk about turning the tables with Zelda, and Link had forgotten that the redhead was also good at doing it, though in her own way. While Zelda could win every argument with quick thinking and logic, Malon used facts that lacked logic, but made sense in some way, and in most cases, she only used her intimidating glare to shut him up.

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 04

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Link averted his gaze to the side while Malon assumed a mocking expression of victory.

"Maybe I am…"

Malon's cocky smile was erased completely, eyes widened in surprise and locked on him, a soft tint of red spreading across her cheeks. Link looked back at her in silence and waited for her response. Epona made neighing noises during the short period of silence.

The redhead suddenly smiled graciously, the redness on her face remained but it was not of embarrassment but something entirely different. Her expression softened, her eyes now looking at him with inner fire. Link almost flinched at such anticlimactic change of demeanour.

Eventually, she switched her gaze to her long skirt, the sunlight giving her a radiant aura that was both startling and fascinating. Link couldn't stop himself from staring not only at her lovely face but at her magnificent body, however, it was not like him to let such thoughts crawl into his mind so he easily shook them off.

"Link… I've been thinking… Um… well… I've been thinking a lot lately and…" She paused, looking rather nervous. "You see…"

Her voice faded and Link frowned, musing about her sudden silence… it was not like her to act this shy, only when she… was she actually…?

"I see… what?" Link inquired, narrowing his gaze.

Malon pulled a lock of hair behind her ear, her eyes avoiding his. Link accommodated himself over the grassy ground and folded his arms, staring at her without blinking. He began to feel anxious for some reason.

"Do you… do you remember the celebration for the anniversary of the ranch two years ago?"

Link quickly recalled that day, her question serving as an instant reminder. Remembering the people gathered in the ranch, the party made within the inner field, the large bonfire in the centre blazing brightly as everyone danced happily, both workers of the ranch and the guards patrolling the area… well, the guards actually left their patrol to join the party. Large tables filled with food, drinks and more food.

There was a single event that made that party different from the ones held in the ranch before it. A somewhat embarrassing event that at some point didn't make Link feel proud.

In this party, it would be the first time he would get drunk, and Link swore to himself it would be the last… he hoped…

Despite the state Link ended up in, he could recall almost everything of what occurred that night, such as the group of musicians that he joined to play the music for the party, the tasty food, the delicious milk, the wine…

And then, Malon…

"Yes, I recall…" Link's mind returned to the present. "We have already talked about this, have we not? What about it?"

She ignored his question and threw another, tilting her head slightly. "Do I need to explain myself further Link?"

 _(Could she possibly…?)_

"Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because…" She gave him an odd smile, one he didn't see often on her, "Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

Link averted his gaze, blinking as he examined the situation. Something happened between him and the ranch girl during that celebration, and ever since, Malon had begun acting differently with him, like the way her eyes looked at him, as if she had become romantically interested in him. This was his fault of course.

"I… don't think that's a good idea right now… all things considered…"

"Never mind then…" She shrugged her shoulders, startling Link further. "You should be thinking about the future Link, like when you are going to settle down and … you know, my lazy father wouldn't mind having someone else running the ranch with me…"

A brief silence came after her voice faded as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

Link felt extremely uncomfortable so he got up on his feet and breathed deeply, looking at the still-sitting redhead. "I suppose I should leave without seeing Epona, or she is going to follow me no matter what I say."

Malon dropped her gaze as Link stared at her in silence for a minute before both smiled at each other playfully.

* * *

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Picture 03

* * *

"Leave already before I change my mind and make you stay," She said.

Link turned around and walked away, but not before glancing at her over his shoulder one more time. The wind blew slightly and caused her hair to flow gracefully with its rhythm.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea..." He whispered to himself.

Malon rested her body on the fence and sighed, looking at the blue sky and then to where Link had walked off to… he was gone.

 **Part 7**

Link walked across a path hidden by nature, the unmistakable fragrance of an ancient forest invading his nostrils, the soothing environment to which he had been accustomed to as he grew up as a child of the forest.

Following the path only Link and a few others knew of, the young Hylian made his way into the **Lost Woods** ; a maze of confusing forests that was feared for being endless. Local folklore talked of these woods as a haunted area, that made lost children transform into **Skull Kids** , a race of diminutive, mischievous beings that resided in the forests, while adult Hylians would become the feared **Stalfos** , skeletal warriors that were capable of using swords, shield or any other weapon.

This would only occur if the lost Hylian did not possess a fairy.

Link reached an area where a wooden bridge was located. It was a place that made memories of his childhood emerge, a place where he received a gift from his best friend, Saria. Not only in this era, but in another timeline he left behind. The bridge would lead him to the **Kokiri Forest** , home of the race called **Kokiri** , a cautious child-like and secretive kind that were accompanied by fairies, and the guardian of the forest, the wise **Deku Tree**.

However, this was not his destination… yet, as he was already in the place he wanted to be, so visiting Saria, the Kokiri, the Deku Tree and its **Sprout** would have to come after his search was over, and Link hoped it was for good this time.

Link took another path and entered a clearing with many tunnels. Seeing this, he raised a hand, a green orb of light originating over it, before it floated and remained where it was created. Link knew that as long as he left the spell of Farore there, he would be able to return to this safe spot when he inevitably got lost in the woods as he knew was most likely to happen.

Never again would he make the mistake of venturing into this place without some sort of safety measure… he had learned the hard way that wandering in these woods was a really bad idea. After all, his second and one of the darkest adventures he had ever experienced occurred because of his carelessness… and a certain skull kid with an **evil mask**.

"Maybe I should have brought Epona…" Link commented to himself as he moved across the eerie forest, examining the ever changing surroundings.

Link opened a hand and an apple appeared on it out of nowhere. The blond adventurer began to eat it as he continued to go deeper into the woods, musing about his latest visit to this area. The ancient forest held the same atmosphere it had when Link was a child, the chirping of birds in the distance, the sound of the branches of trees being moved by the wind, the odd feeling of anxiety this forest gave to his heart… it was as if nothing had changed, yet, he could not recognize it entirely.

He entered a tunnel and proceeded into another clearing, the eerie silence only broken by the sound of birds that made him feel a bit restless. What was with these woods… for real?

 **o-0-O-0-o**

Five days had passed since Link set foot in the Lost Woods. His search still remained fruitless…

Despite that, Link had discovered many tunnels that most likely were portals to other dimensions such as **Termina** , and even other worlds, like one where a tournament was held to determine the next **Queen** of a whole Continent by command of celestial beings in order to maintain peace and prevent wars.

In contrast to most of his otherworldly travels, there was one time when Link was dragged into another world by work of an **unknown being** , only to be pulled out of that dimension and be summoned yet again into another. Eventually he discovered that an evil spirit sought to use him and five other persons with incredible abilities and weapons to bring chaos and destruction...

Link and the others managed to undo the damage they had done and defeated the evil spirit. After that, with the help of a powerful witch, each dragged warrior was sent back to their respective realities with Link and a certain **Assassin** as the exception as both decided to remain there due to some unfinished business.

Eventually, Link discovered a mysterious area that according to the local gossip, was forbidden to enter because people never returned after entering it, so he, along with his companion, decided to explore it. Link was then surprised to find that said place led them into a twisted tunnel, most likely a portal of sorts, which connected that world to the Lost Woods of Hyrule.

With the help of a magical gem granted by the powerful witch, Link not only managed to find his way back to the Kokiri Forest but also the portal that sent his companion back to his own world.

Without doubt, Link could tell that was one of the most amazing adventures he'd ever experienced, and truth to be told, one of the funniest.

Link would never be able to forget the few but unbelievable adventures the Lost Woods had led him to, nor the few interesting people he'd met during those times. The incredible things he had seen and discovered, the allies he had made and the foes he had defeated were also things he could never forget. Yet this trip was not to explore the Lost Woods and… other worlds, but to search for his fairy companion as he had done multiple times in the past. Venturing inside one of those endless holes was out of the question during this journey.

The Champion of Hyrule entered a new clearing, which was darker than the previous areas. Link narrowed his gaze upon noticing the marks on the ground and the trees. After examining them closely, Link determined it was burn marks, as if controlled fire was created here. Link moved to observe other marks and upon close inspection, he noticed cuts on one trunk.

He could tell that some sort of battle had occurred in this place, which was obviously unusual.

This finding also made him frown as the possibility of spotting a lone fairy could have been only a light created by this battle.

But it was too soon to accept that as a fact.

Link proceeded to the next area, a bottle with clear water materializing on his left hand. He drank half of its contents while looking around. The cuts and burn marks became far more noticeable as he advanced; there were even destroyed trees that now laid on the ground… and blood, there was drying blood splattered on the ground and over the trees.

Well, the part of a battle occurring around here was without a doubt an undeniable truth.

Then… who battled inside the Lost Woods?

Link could think of some possibilities, such as travellers from other worlds arriving to the Lost Woods and for unknown reasons, engaging in combat. But seeing the burn marks, someone that could control fire at will and use it without starting a forest fire may have been a wizard or a spell caster. And the cuts indicated a sharp weapon was used, such as a sword or maybe a spear.

Another possibility could have been the unknown monsters that inhabited the deeper parts of these endless woods, capable of creating fire and possessing sharps claws, though the latter seemed unlikely as there was no sign of such claw marks, and Link had never seen that sort of monster in all his travels within the Lost Woods.

However, anything was possible in this haunted place, making any theory of his remain just that, a theory.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

There was a tunnel located in the highest part of a wall covered with vines that clung over the expanse. Link would have never noticed it if it wasn't for the trail of blood that led him to see it.

He pulled out the **Longshot** , a useful and improved grapple device that consisted of a handle that could fire a spring-loaded chain with a hook in the end, which allowed him to transport himself to determine locations he couldn't reach by just jumping or teleporting, by pulling his body to them.

He never knew that this item was actually magical until he showed it to Zelda, who told him that it defied all laws of physics, allowing anyone to use it without causing harm to its user.

Link aimed the grappling device towards the vines near the tunnel and pushed its only button. The spearhead was fired and moved directly to its intended destination, finally hammering the vine wall and subsequently pulling Link to it. The blonde warrior grabbed a vine upon reaching the highest part of the wall and climbed the edge, successfully reaching the hidden tunnel.

The Hero entered the dark tunnel warily, knowing very well that he could end up by accident in another dimension or world if he was careless… that happened to him when he chased after a certain **skull kid** when he was eleven. Once bitten, twice shy, ain't it?

Link raised his hands. In one a **Deku stick** materialized, in the other, a tiny shining red orb was created, which happened to be another of the few spells Link could control, **Din's Fire**.

At first, Link could only create a dome of fire around him that engulfed anything in its range until it faded away, though Link always remained unharmed. With Zelda's tutelage, Link managed to control the expansion of the fiery wall, allowing him to concentrate the spell on orbs of lesser size. Link then learnt to make the spell end at will or move the fiery orbs towards any direction he desired, until they exploded by his command.

Finally, Link managed to perfect this powerful spell by creating some sort of filter that allowed the created fire to burn only his target, ignoring everything else. An example of it would be that he could create the dome of fire inside a wooden room and only burn a desired object of Link's choosing.

The tiny ball of fire moved slowly to the top of the Deku stick, lighting it up as the minuscule ball of fire disappeared. The provisional torch illuminated his surroundings, so the adventurer went deeper inside the tunnel until he reached a small field, and in the middle, was a hole, not too big but certainly not small.

The oppressive atmosphere kept Link alert, the darkness furthering it to the point that he questioned his own perception. Wandering these ancient woods for a long period of time always made Link's mind get a bit agitated, his gut telling him that he was at risk of being harmed.

The feeling of paranoia would only get worse if he continued to wander the woods, so Link realized he had to be quick. The young man rested a knee on the ground and leaned towards the hole, putting the Deku torch high enough so the fire could illuminate it. It didn't work as the hole seemed absurdly deep, so Link threw a rock and waited for the inevitable sound of the rock crashing on the solid surface.

The sound never came…

Keeping his gaze of the hole for several seconds, Link widened his eyes as he felt a presence behind him. The Hylian spun around and watched in shock as a whole trunk was sent as a projectile towards him, so he took immediate action and rolled to the side, the trunk crashing into a barely visible wall.

Link didn't even have the time to scan the area as a ball of yellow energy advanced in his direction. Taking it as hostile, the blonde Hylian put aside the Deku stick and used the mythical **Hylian Shield** to protect himself and prepared for impact.

The ball of intense energy collided with the shield, an enormous force behind it that pushed Link slightly as he maintained his foot firmly on the ground. The energy dispersed and Link was left in the dark, the smell of fresh blood in the air.

Something really dangerous was near; his guts told him that.

The smell of blood ended abruptly as the temperature dropped violently, cracks appearing on the ground, making him narrow his eyes in bewilderment. To his shock, nine bright yellow orbs appeared before him, illuminating the strange being between them. A demonic Knight if he could describe it.

It was a knight that used a black armour with white edges that looked demonic due to its twisted forms. Its shoulder pads had two sharp-looking blades attached to them, the heavy armour seemed to emanate a repulsive red energy. The helmet had two horns and it hid the face of the one who wore it almost completely, only shining orange eyes locked on Link as if trying to pierce through to his soul.

A shield was attached to its left arm, while the right hand carried a battle axe with the same twisted forms of the armour and shield. It was an imposing sight, a terrifying one, but Link was not affected by the sickening atmosphere it created. He had seen far more terrible things and this was far from being the worst he had fought.

While somehow familiar, Link had no idea of the being's identity, nor his motives for being here. At least, Link could tell that it was not friendly. In fact, it seemed that it wanted to attack him as it moved slowly but mightily towards him. Every step the demonic knight took made a loud reverberation through the atmosphere.

 _" **We FinAlLy MeEt, HERo of TiMe."**_

Its deformed voice echoed in the area, which Link recognized as the one that talked to him in his dream in the Hyrule Castle. Each step it gave burned the grass of the ancient woods, the yellow orbs moving with the demonic knight as it advanced leisurely. Link stood up and readied himself for combat, silver plating covering his fingerless gauntlets with a red gem in the middle.

Link scrutinized at the evil being over his shield while in his other hand appeared the **Kokiri Sword** , the hidden treasure of the Kokiri, which Link used as a boy during his first adventures. In Termina he met a certain blacksmith that, oddly enough, had the same name as the famous alchemist in Hyrule, Zubora, with his scary-looking companion, Gabora, another strange coincidence indeed, but it was not that surprising as Termina was in another Dimension.

Zubora upgraded the Kokiri Sword into a better one called the **Gilded Sword** after Link gave him a bottle of gold dust, but when he returned back in time for certain reasons, the sword returned to its original shape. After that, Link decided to not upgrade it again as he came to the conclusion that the small sword should retain its original form because it was the treasure of his first homeland, the Kokiri Forest.

The green-clad warrior now used the Kokiri Sword as a dagger class weapon for close-combat encounters, using the Sheikah techniques he learnt from Impa to be a more swift and agile fighter according to the situation at hand.

Link put on his back the Hylian Shield and walked warily to the dangerous being, pointing the sharp tip of the **'Kokiri Dagger'** towards his opponent.

 **"THoU And ThINe COmraDes, WhO hASt BroKEn tHe CHaiNs oF DesTInY aNd MoLDed iT,"** The demonic Knight spoke again, both warriors standing one in front of the other. **"ThE ConClaVe hAsT gIven Its VerdIcT, DiMenTIa NEedest oF thEe, PRouD WaRrioR!"**

This knight talked in an archaic way Link had seen only in books of old, and while he could still understand him, he had no idea of what was being said until he heard its last words.

The **Conclave of Dimentia** , said to oversee and protect every existing world and dimension, which Link only knew existed because he, along his otherworldly partners, had faced their **Sentinels** in battle after discovering they were corrupting an entire reality without knowing it.

"Whose blood is this…?" Link questioned darkly.

The dark presence gave no reply for several seconds. Standing immobile, fiery orange orbs locked on Link as a cold drop of sweat trailed slowly from the blonde's forehead… If this being was as the other Sentinels sent after them in that other world, then he was about to sweat blood in the coming battle.

 ** _"An EViL sOul tHaT hAsT STraYeD fRoM Its DEstiNeD roaD…"_** The demonic sentinel finally responded. **_"ThE LosT WoOdS haSt BeCOmE tHe RooT Of DiMenTIa, THerEfoRE, thE ConCLaVe haSt DeCiDEd to PrOTeCt It frOm aLL THreATS."_**

Link was having a hard time recollecting all what was being said. He had no idea what Dementia was exactly, or why these sudden events were occurring.

"I believe we showed the Conclave that we meant no harm back then. We defeated the true guilty party behind the corruption and restored the balance in Gainos," Link lowered the Kokiri Dagger, intense eyes looking without any fear back at the demonic being. "Why is the Conclave after me now?"

 ** _"BeCaUSe oNly ThoU hast thE InSTrumENts tO ChaNGe ThE FloW of HistoRY, OnlY ThoU cAneST ReSToRe The BalAncE…"_**

Link narrowed his gaze, subtly looking at his left hand.

 ** _"HerO Of TImE, ThOu ConTrOleSt ThIne Own DesTiNy anD MolDesT OtHeRS. DiMEnTiA NEEdS ThEe!"_**

Link blinked twice. "They need me? For what?" The little sword disappeared from his hand as he crossed his arms. "You didn't really give me a warm welcome before, so why should I trust you now?"

 ** _"To TEsT tHEe As We caN't RelY oN SomeOnE weAk To AccoMplish thy TAsk. THoU MaY CaLLeSt It a COnfIRmAtiOn."_**

"Yeah... right... Then what is Dimentia exactly?" Link inquired sternly. "The Lost Woods do not belong to you or the Conclave but to the Kokiri, the Deku Tree and the Goddesses. Your protection is not needed."

The odd Axe evaporated like air suddenly, the figure raising the empty hand as one of the yellow orbs floating came to it before expanding. Images suddenly appeared in the middle of the yellow light, to Link's surprise.

 ** _"I bEg To DiFFer... DiMenTiA is ThE EndLesS GRoUp of poRtalS thAt ConnECts EvERy ExistENt DimEnTiOn oR WorLD TogeTHer,"_** The not so unfriendly figure responded. _**"We ARe AwAre oF Our LimItaTionS, MortAl. ThIs iS a TemPOraRy meAsurE We aRe TAkinG to EnSurE No onE usEs anY PorTaL unTil THY BaLaNcE is ResTorEd. THe ConCLave NEveR DoeS AnyThing FoR NauGHt. WhAt ThoU ARe sEeiNg nOw arE SomE oF tHE wORlDs cOnNecTed tO thEsE wOoDs."**_

A boy with pink hair breathing fire towards a naked guy, a blond boy with tan skin hugging a brown-haired girl with eyes of different colours in a beach, a **spiky-haired boy** running away from a brown-haired girl that apparently could control lightning, a blond boy with an orange outfit talking with an enormous frog, giants attacking a city surrounded by tall walls, a brown haired boy garbed in red and white summoning a monster from a card, a blond short guy that had a metal arm as he walked across a city accompanied by a living armour.

These were some of the many images the ball of light displayed to Link… it was unbelievable.

"…Explain why," Link said sharply as more images of amazing and incredible places continued to appear one after another in the yellow light, "There are probably many others more capable than me to handle this."

 ** _"In ThIs VeRy MOmeNt, ThoU HaSt thE MeaNs To AcComPliSH iT. ThE PowEr To DefEaT aNy Foe, wHeTher iTs as a Hero or Oni, and ThoU EveN caNesT ConTrOl TimE itSelf. TheRe Is no DouBt ThaT Thou aRt MoRE ThaN SuiTaBLe tO AccOmplisH ThIs. BeSIdeS, The REliC in ThiNe PoSSessIon AllOwS ThoU To UsEsT THE PorTalS of DimEnTIA, WhiCH to Any One else WouLd Be ImpoSSible."_**

 _(Hmm... Then that's why Ezio couldn't go inside that portal until I entered it with him...)_

Link nodded in acceptance, yet still suspicious. What did he mean by 'as Hero or Oni?'

"Wait a second," Realization hit him. "A friend of mine told me that a lone fairy was spotted recently through these woods. Have you seen one?"

 ** _"That inFORmaTiOn wAs a Lie. If yoUr friEnd hEaRd ThaT RuMor, iT was BeCausE oF ThE ConCLAvE. WE NeeDEd to MakE ThoU COmEst To us."_**

A piercing expression spread across his face, gritting his teeth in anger. This bastard had tricked him into returning to the Lost Woods by using Navi, the nerve of this guy! Link could only calm himself to muse about the implications. The Conclave knew of his past somehow, which could only mean that they probably observed his world and many others. Whether it was with magic or any other mean, Link began to suspect that they were some sort of watchers that monitored all existing realities.

 ** _"BeHinD tHOu liEsT the ENTraNcE of A WoRLd ThAt Is DesTIneD to PeriSH, anD iF It Does, Not Only ThAt WorlD will Be DesTroyEd but ManY OTherS, bEgiNning WitH ThE One ThOu CaLLesT HoMe."_**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 05

* * *

Link tightened his gaze upon hearing it, this problem had become personal.

"…I don't have a choice then. How do I restore order?"

 ** _"ThE BlAcK SeEdeR… A beIng oF InMmenSe PoWer iS AimInG To DesTroy DiMenTia's BalAnCe by CoRruptiNg aLl dImEnTionS. THoU hast already EnCounTeRed onE oF itS MinIoNs WhEn tHoU and the OtHer FivE wERt DraGGed tO GaInOs."_**

"I see… Can't you or the Conclave deal with it?"

 ** _"ThE BLacK SeeDeR wAs FoRmErlY A WArlOck of ThE ConClaVe, wHoSE InCreaSIng HaTred To aLl eViL WitHiN DimenTiA MadE him REbEl aGAinSt THe ConCLave, ClaImInG thAT ThE OnlY WaY tO EraDIcaTe eViL waS To WipE OuT EvERy EXistEnT dimEnSioN."_**

"You haven't responded to my question," Link spoke seriously.

 _" **Hmm… The BlaCK sEedEr HaD StoLeN aN ArtiFact That aLLowEsT hIm tO TRavEl AnD enTEr diffERenT DimEnSIonS FrEEly. If We wErE tO IntErvEnE, he WoulD bELIKeLY To uSE It tO ElUde Us aGain as hE Can SenSe our PreSence. We, The SEnTinEls, Are NOt AlLoWed to Go InSIde ANy ReAliTy UnleSs ThE CorrUptIon StarTest To CONSUme A WorLd. THaT is The ReAsoN We NeEdest tHee To SToPesT The CORruPTioN BefOrE it rEacHest CriTical leVEls."**_

 _(Very convenient…)_

Link lowered his gaze again to his left hand, pondering about the sudden events. This problem was caused by the people that supposedly watched over every existing being, yet they couldn't deal with it, instead leaving the tough job to others… Well, at least there was an apparent solution…

"What if I fail? I assume that you are prepared for that possibility."

 ** _"We aRe AwaRe of YouR caPabiliTieS, HEro Of TimE, as We AlsO ConSidEr THoU A ThreAT tO THe CoNClaVE. HoWevER It Be, FaIluRe iS nOT An oPtiOn iF ThoU WiSH To PrOteCt YoUr OWn RealiTY."_**

The Hylian would have to take down the **Warlock** that was called the **Black Seeder** , who previously tried to use Link and other warriors from different dimensions to corrupt another world some time ago.

Link observed the hole on the ground. "I need to jump here then?"

 **"YeS… wE DetEcteD thE SamE CorRupTIoN in tHiS RealiTy,"** The Dimentia Knight replied. **"WhiLe sTilL LiTtlE, ThE corRUptiOn wIlL IncREaSe OveR TiME. It NeEdS tO Be sTopPed BefOre wE ARe ForCeD tO IntErVenE… HoWeveR, ThoU aRt gOinG to HaST tO SeARch For tHe SouRCe of tHis CorrUptiOn By YoUrseLF."**

"Nothing is never easy…" Link muttered. "Do you happen to know what this world I'm going into is?"

 **"InDeEd… bUt ThOU wIlL nEEd to SurViVe A TrIaL iN OrDer to PrOcEed,"** Link raised an eyebrow, his expression urging him to continue. **"ThoU ShaLT FacE… ThE GReaT ReD."**

Link blinked, looking at the hole for a mere second before turning back to where the Dimentia's sentinel once stood. Link looked around but the demonic-looking knight was nowhere to be seen… it was gone, along with its powerful presence.

 _(Great Red…?)_

His search for Navi had led him to a situation he never imagined would occur. A new foe had appeared and his goal was to destroy every existing reality, which was a concept Link had yet to fully grasp. He had faced a minion of the warlock before apparently, responsible of manipulating him and the other dragged warriors into creating havoc in a world not of their own.

Now the Master of that pawn was aiming to corrupt another reality to eventually destroy it and spread the damage to other dimensions; that much Link had understood.

Link closed both eyes, breathing deeply, before opening them. There was no thinking about what he would do as there was only one **PATH** he could take. That being could be deceiving him, after all, the demonic knight didn't look like someone that belonged to an organization that preserved the balance of different realities… Link could sense the evil in him, but if what he said was true, Link could not remain with arms crossed either. The Fate of countless people depended on him.

"A quest befitting of the Master Sword…" Link sighed. "It's too late for that now…"

Link stepped closer to the hole, warily giving it another look. He was going to jump into an endless hole, just like he did by accident as a kid when he ended in Termina. Even in this sort of situation, the young hero couldn't help but getting excited, as he didn't know what awaited him on the other side. While he was determined to put an end to the Black Seeder's plans, the blonde's adventurous spirit was shining brightly once again.

A new adventure was about to begin, a dangerous one but heck, Link had not only defied the laws of Time multiple times, but had broken them. He had faced foes one never had, even if the odds of winning were scarce. A dimensional corruptor would make no difference.

So after adjusting his gear, Link observed one last time the hole and jumped to it, darkness instantly swallowing his surroundings.

 **Part 8**

It was dark…

Link couldn't tell how much time had passed since he jumped into the endless void, but he felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing, yet he could still tell that he was falling, but for how much longer?

He had jumped inside these sort of seemingly endless tunnels before, but unlike those other times, he couldn't tell how much time had passed. Just… where was he now?

A radiant light soon came into his sight, originating from his left hand. The Triforce of Courage was shining over his gauntlet, emanating a soft golden light that soon engulfed his entire body. Something was about to happen, he could tell. The deep darkness was soon replaced by multiple iridescent mixed colours. Link tossed his eyes around to observe the odd surroundings, his body still falling as he noticed that those strange changing colours went in every direction.

It was surreal, yet beautiful.

Suddenly, an enormous form was soon noticed by Link when he turned his head, realizing that he was not alone. His eyes widened upon discerning the true form and size of what was approaching him.

It was a massive **Red Dragon**.

It had a horn on its snout, two set of wings, and its scales looked as solid as rock. To say it was huge was an understatement. The red beast flew around Link as he continued to fall into the endless void, its fearsome golden, reptilian eyes locked onto him.

A feeling of intense dread took over his body, just like the time he faced the monster form of Ganondorf in a timeline left behind. An ephemeral fear soon covered every nerve ending in Link's body, but the Hylian shook it off and formed a fist with the hand that held the sacred relic of the goddesses.

 **"Ain't this fascinating…?"**

The powerful voice of the red Dragon resounded in the infinite space, the green-clad warrior flinching at the sheer volume of its voice. Link had seen powerful monsters before, but the being flying around him was something else. Link could sense unimaginable power coming from it…

 **"How come this little bastard is alive?"** The red Dragon spoke again, **"Let's see."**

Link blinked when an enormous hand with sharp claws was extended below him, so he quickly spun around in mid-nothingness, and landed on its palm. He stood on his feet slowly and observed the draconian figure looking at him in all its mighty glory.

Blue orbs met gold shining ones.

 **"Hmm…"** Its hot breath came out, pushing Link slightly as the dragon seemed to examine him, **"What do we have here…?"**

Link readied himself unconsciously, putting one hand on the empty scabbard on his back, which earned a menacing chuckle from the mighty being.

He had seen various dragons during his life as an adventurer, fought many, even one that was once dear to him, but the cruel reality and an evil man turned it into a mindless monster… Link had never felt such regret and pain in his life after killing a dragon that had been a friend to him.

But that was left in the past as he had returned to a point where said friend did not meet the cruel destiny that it was supposed to face.

 **"Did a snake bite your tongue, tiny punk?"**

Link's train of thought was shattered abruptly by the voice of the beast, that somehow looked amused… even if it was a dragon, Link could distinguish its facial expressions as if it was human...

 **"Such a pitiful face, kid,"** The Dragon spoke again as the Hylian put a hand by the sheath on his back, nearing its head to him. **"What do you intend to do with that empty sheath?"**

Link narrowed his gaze, gritting his teeth aggressively.

 **"That's an interesting expression, punk, one that I don't normally see…"** The Beast smiled wickedly. **"So you want to pick up a fight with me, HUH!?"**

Link quickly scanned his surroundings as the claws of the monstrous hand began to close over him. The warrior rolled forward and used the **Hookshot** on the left wing of the beast, successfully getting out of harm's way as the hook barely pierced the wing. The lack of the reaction on the Dragon told the blonde that it didn't cause any sort of pain to it.

As expected, the Hyrule warrior was pulled by the chain towards the hook, but to his shock, the wing moved suddenly. The hook was released and the chain returned back to the tiny item. Which meant that Link would begin to fall again, yet a blue orb surrounded him before that could occur.

He was upside down inside the orb that floated in front of the Dragon's snout, its golden reptilian eyes looking at him with interest. This orb was probably created by the Dragon to keep him controlled, or that was what Link thought. It seemed reasonable.

 **"Nice try kid, but it seems you have no idea of who are you messing with,"** The magic sphere surrounding Link came closer to the beast's eyes as it finally turned around, putting Link's body in standing position. **"Can you talk?"**

The Hookshot disappeared from Link's hand as he gazed fiercely at the Dragon, deciding if he should respond or not… He understood what it said, so the language was the same apparently.

"Yes…" He responded.

 **"So you do talk, little punk,"** Link raised an eyebrow, wondering why such an incredible beast talked in such manner… it kind of reminded him of that flippant guy he met in another world, **"Who are you and how did you get here?"**

"I'm Link… a traveller of sorts…" He crossed his arms, "I came here to hunt down a Warlock that is aiming to destroy this world…" Though honestly, Link couldn't tell what could be destroyed as there was nothing around here, but this enormous Dragon.

The Dragon was silent, as if it was absorbing his answer.

 **"Let's make this short,"** The Dragon raised a draconian finger and moved it towards Link. **"I hate long conversations so this will have to do."**

The blonde blinked as the finger entered the orb surrounding him, and everything faded out.

 **Part 9**

 **"Tch! You are an annoying sleepy bastard! Wake up already!"**

Link opened both eyes abruptly, raising the upper part of his body as if he just had a nightmare…and he apparently continued to be in one as the Dragon observed him closely from its hand. The Hylian tried to get on his feet but found he couldn't... he felt weak.

 **"You have a fudging sleeping problem punk,"** The powerful beast said, slightly irritated. **"I was about to drop your ass into the endless abyss."**

"I… see…"

The dragon did not expect more words from Link apparently, as it was startled, a little… But then laughed for no reason, startling Link this time. It was hard to tell what was going inside the mind of the Dragon, though it wasn't really surprising, considering that this empty place could make anyone or anything insane, human and intelligent beasts alike.

 **"First, I gave a quick glance to your memories, kid, or should I say, Link…"**

The blonde boy raised an eyebrow at the mention of his name, but still remained silent. He wondered what the Dragon was implying when it said 'a quick glance at his memories'… Could it be that the beast had read his mind somehow while he was unconscious?

 **"That relic in your right hand is quite something, I'm impressed…"** Link ignored his lack of strength and stood up regardless, startled at the sudden compliment, but more when the dragon mentioned 'relic'. **"No wonder why you weren't affected after being exposed to the nothingness of this gap. It seems you told the truth, huh…"**

"So you know about it? This relic…?" Link asked hesitantly.

 **"The Triforce of Courage, you mean?"** Link was shocked. The Dragon had indeed looked into his mind, confirming that the huge winged creature was powerful, and was fully capable of at least getting inside of his mind despite the protection that the piece of the Triforce gave him. **"Your world is interesting… maybe I should pay it a visit."**

Before Link could ask how the Dragon could achieve that, it spoke again with renewed interest.

 **"So those shitty fanatics of Dimentia's Conclave are involved in your current affairs?"** The Dragon inquired, thoughtful of these events. **"I wouldn't recommend you trusting them. They are foolish nut-jobs I tell you."**

"You certainly are not the image of sanity either, so I will only trust my instincts," Link replied, his features hardening. "…Who are you?"

Two gazes clashed again, both were unwavering.

 **"Hehehe… I don't know if you are incredibly stupid or just plain ignorant,"** The Dragon narrowed its golden eyes; a powerful pulse came from its body, paralyzing Link. **"Though from what I have seen, I could say you are a fearless bastard."**

Link tried to move but he found he couldn't, as if he was restrained by an invisible force… He soon realized it was the Dragon's presence, which intensified all of a sudden.

 **"I, Great Red, am known as the Dragon of Dragons! The True Dragon!"** Great Red's voice resounded again in the empty area, fading eventually. **"So watch your mouth around me, boy! You wouldn't want me to get pissed."**

Link blinked.

The beast called itself the **Dragon of Dragons** , which probably meant there were more of them. Link wondered if the other beasts were around here, and hoped he was wrong as he already found himself in a difficult situation with this one.

 **"So…"** Great Red began. **"You are after that damned warlock… I knew that asshole would eventually become a pain in the hide when I first met him,"** Turning its massive head to the side, it muttered, though it was loud enough for the man to hear. **"But there is something off with this story."**

Link blinked upon hearing this useful information.

 **"I wouldn't believe he was attacking this dimension if it wasn't for your messed up memories, so consider yourself lucky,"** The red beast looked at the odd colours in the distance. **"I'm in a good mood today, that is if this place had a sense of time or direction in the first place,"** The boy tightened his gaze at what was revealed, **"Anyway, I want to see how far you can go with this... though I'm particularly interested in the other you inside that mask you carry."**

Link was shocked… again. Apparently, Great Red knew everything about him, for real, even about that mask, which Link avoided using due to its particular characteristics.

"I have only one question… well two actually…"

 **"Spit them out…"**

The Hylian pondered a bit. The massive dragon before him knew quite a bit of whatever what was occurring, even mentioning Dimentia's clan. He could prove to be a valuable source of information.

"Where am I? And…" He paused briefly, assuming a piercing gaze. "Are you really going to let me go?"

Seemingly everlasting seconds passed, both of the characters falling silent.

 **"Yes… in fact, I'm gonna give you a hand so you won't show up there with a bare ass, not knowing a damn thing,"** The dragon's snout let out a sound as if sniffing him, **"Although, you happen to know a bit already of the people in this world by the knowledge of another."**

Link stepped back while raising an eyebrow in mild confusion.

 **"…So you are going to help me?"** Link narrowed his gaze. **"Why?"**

 **"That shitty warlock is also a problem for me, if what those fanatics said is true,"** Great Red raised its other draconian hand, **"Anyway, to answer your first question, I'm going to grant you knowledge of this dimension to make things a bit easier for you… It may hurt… a lot."**

The Dragon chuckled wickedly as its index finger touched Link's head before he could react. In that exact moment, Link knelt in intense pain as multiples images and influx of information entered his mind without stopping. Link rested his hands on the dragon's palm, gritting his teeth as he endured the massive amount of pain spreading through his body.

Apparently, the current place Link found himself in was not the place he was intended to reach due to an unknown interference in Dimentia, sending him to a gap between three existing worlds.

The **Dimensional Gap** Link was in, connected to the three different worlds, which were the **Earth** that belonged to **Humans** , the **Heaven** of celestial beings called **Angels** and the **Underworld** that was split apart in two regions, one for the **Devils** and the other, for the **Fallen** **Angels**. These three worlds apparently existed in the same dimension.

Then images of a large scale war entered his mind.

Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils… Three factions of supernatural beings that waged war thousands of years ago in a conflict for Supremacy.

The **Great War** that occurred between them thousands of years ago was not won by anyone due to the several casualties the **Three Factions** received during the war, causing the loss of their main forces, ultimately leaving them with no other choice but to retreat and leave it unfinished. While the war between the three factions ceased, there was no peace between them either.

And so, occasional conflicts continued to occur for countless millennia, though nothing that would start the unfinished war left behind.

"Gah!" Link screamed in pain as the images finally stopped entering his mind.

The agitated Hylian inhaled and exhaled heavily, blinking as the mark of Courage shone with intensity. Drops of cold sweat trailed down his forehead as he took on his surroundings, and to his relieve, the intense pain was gone.

 _(This dimension is a bit familiar, just like that one…)_

"What was… that?"

 **"A little knowledge that I can bet will come handy,"** Was the reply of the powerful beast. **"Enough! It's time for you to depart, annoying kid… or should I call you… Hero."**

Link blinked as a blue orb appeared again, enveloping him. The orb began to shine, causing Link to cover his eyes. He had already accepted that speaking now would be futile, so he let whatever that was going to occur unfold.

 **"We will meet again if you prove your worth, kid,"** Intense light covered Link's surroundings, even if he tried, his eyes could no longer see a single thing, **"I'll observe you for some time, punk. You better not disappoint me."**

And so, the ball of light faded, and the blonde inside the orb with it. Only the omnipotent Dragon remained in the gap between three worlds, smiling.

 **"Now, now… I suppose it's time to visit that shitty Conclave again…"** Great Red glanced at its right hand, where an otherworldly warrior once stood. **"Good luck, kid…"**

 **Part 10**

Link opened his eyes, his sight meeting an odd green… sky?

The Hylian stood on his feet in one swift move, sharp eyes scanning the area around him. He was in the middle of a forest… a dark creepy forest in fact. The ominous green sky certainly didn't help stop the feeling of restlessness growing within him.

The forest was totally different from that odd place where **Great Red** was, and while Link appreciated that he had left the dimensional gap, Link had no idea where he was at the moment, which was equally bad… well, not that bad but still bad enough for him to call it trouble.

This place didn't look like the celestial Heaven, nor the Human world, so Link came to the conclusion that he was in the Underworld, where those creatures called Devils and Fallen Angels resided… That dragon sent him to the Underworld instead of Earth? Link sighed as he wondered if there was a purpose for Great Red to do it or… the dragon was just wanted to mess with him.

Whatever it was, Link noticed he had bigger issues at the moment.

The two magical pouches Link carried were gone, and with them, all his items, arsenal and food. Link searched for them around but did not found any of the two, worsening his current situation. His shield and the empty sheath were gone, too.

This was a grim situation. He was in an unknown area after all, and who knew what kind of dangers lurked around… even more if he was in the Underworld. Apparently, it was daytime, as there was no moon around… or maybe the moon did not exist in this world. Nonetheless, he still could tell that he indeed was in another world by just looking at the sky.

 _(Devils and Fallen Angels…)_

Link suddenly noticed something burning on his forehead, so he trailed his fingers across it and realized there was something in there, not physical but of a magical nature. It was something on his skin, but couldn't be felt it with mere touch, as if it was some sort of mark. The Triforce of Courage was also shining intensely through his left glove, which meant the sacred relic was protecting him from something as it did in the dimensional gap.

With nothing more than twisted trees around and the pain on his forehead gone, Link advanced, observing carefully anything that might help him know where he was going.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 06 **(This Song Is fantastic!)**

* * *

Hours. Countless hours had passed as he moved across the endless forest, yet Link didn't feel like he was advancing… at all. It was like he was walking in circles, making the warrior suspect that he was either in a haunted forest or someone had cast a spell in the area to cause this effect.

He was already feeling hungry, thirsty, and somewhat tired. It was true that Link had made long travels before, but he always carried the equipment needed to make it possible. It was also odd that he hadn't encountered a single animal or insect since he set foot in this wretched forest, furthering his suspicion about a possible trap.

However, there was nothing else he could do rather than continue wandering, hoping that he would reach a way out. As he continued though, he grabbed a rock and marked several trees while advancing to make sure he was not returning to the same places.

The air was somewhat dense, his anxiousness rising, a feeling of being observed emerging as he continued to go deep in the green endless hell he found himself trapped into. Eventually, Link sighed and decided to take a short rest before moving again.

Would he die like this? If he didn't find a way out, then was he going to starve to death? Not even the mightiest monsters had achieve his death, nor the most powerful wizards and witches that sought to kill him, or the countless adversaries he had faced in both Hyrule and the other worlds. Maybe this forest would?

No… it was too soon to start thinking like that.

There were many people that would mourn his death, many friends and companions that would blame themselves for not being there when Link needed their help. The burden, the sorrow, no, the goddesses were with him, the mark of Courage was inside him, if the King of Evil couldn't kill him, then this place wouldn't.

A new adventure had just started. His quest to find the Dimentia's Corruptor, **The Black Seeder** , had begun. He had to find him and bring an end to his plans. Link could accept his intentions, as they were to eradicate evil, but to destroy every single dimension in order to achieve it? Even if he was to destroy just one, Link would not allow such a thing to occur.

With renewed conviction, Link stood on his feet and advanced again before stopping as something came into his mind. Link removed his magically attached long cap from his head and looked inside it, only to smile in relief as he retrieved a purple rock.

The purple stone in Link's hand was a gift granted by the **Swamp Witch** of another world, which shone to allow its holder to find what he desired. The rock would always shine as the person holding it, looked in the direction where his/her desire was located. Whether it was a place to be, an object the holder wanted to find, even people or animals, the rock would direct its holder to the location of what he desired the most at the time.

For example, in this very moment, Link desired to find a way out of the endless woods.

Holding it, the **Lust Gem** , which Link preferred calling the **Gem of Hope,** shone when he turned around. That observed, the Hyrule Warrior began to move towards that direction, sharp eyes and senses ready if anything should occur.

 _(Thankfully, that Dragon didn't take this gem from me.)_

An unknown amount of time elapsed as Link advanced without stopping, finally reaching a clearing where a pillar was positioned in the middle. It was jet black and adorned with intricate red patterns.

Link neared it cautiously, and after seeing it didn't cause any harm, the Hylian inspected it. The shining red symbols carved in the pillar were of unknown origin, though he could remember seeing them in the multiple images that entered his mind when Great Red granted him knowledge of this world.

The Gem of Hope ceased shining, so Link knew what to do. This shady-looking totem was apparently related to Link's desire to leave the forest, which meant that if it was destroyed, then maybe something would occur. After examining the totem further, Link came to the conclusion that a good hit would shatter it as it apparently wasn't made of rock, as he first thought, but of some energy that tried to resemble its characteristics.

Link adjusted his gloves and delivered a punch to the pillar, a high pitched noise resounded in the area as a pulse came from the totem. Another punch crashed on the pillar followed by another, visible red cracks that let out energy spreading from the point of impact to its sides.

Eventually, Link stopped, gave some steps back and assumed a fighting stance he learnt from Impa, breathing deeply for several seconds before dashing to it with a powerful kick that impacted with the damaged totem, finally breaking it apart and unleashing a strident wave of red energy that sent Link flying away until his back crashed into a tree.

Link coughed, opened his eyes, and he noticed the hole created by the totem's explosion. Panting, he scanned the area in its entirety. Some trees were damaged with leaves continuously falling from the branches, yet what caught his attention were the strange-looking birds flying in the sky.

The blonde stood up, grunting in pain due to his aching back, and realized that whatever the totem was doing was a thing of the past as the sounds of insects and animals of the night came into his ear-shot. Returning the purple gem inside his cap, he looked into the distance, his eyes meeting tall structures far away, taller than the trees themselves. Link put his cap back on, bracing himself for what may lie ahead…

If Link was to find devils, he would deal with them if they proved to be hostile. After all, **demons** and devils were almost the same in his book according to his experience in other realms, even if the term Devil was foreign to Hyrule. Though he could remember hearing that word for the first time in Termina when a younger him met the undead composer **Flat** , who stated that his brother **Sharp** , sold his soul to the Devil… whatever that meant.

Link came back to his senses as he left those memories behind, and headed to the tall structures. The Hylian was exhausted, his hunger was making his stomach growl nearly constantly, and his muscles ached horribly. He swore that the first thing he would do was to find drinkable water. That's what any smart person would do.

As he neared his new destination, the tired warrior began to hear strange voices in his head, whispering indecipherable words. Link tried to ignore them as it was probably an effect of his tiredness… he was seriously worn out…

Without warning, an explosion occurred in the area near him, followed by screams of agony and fear. Link wasted no time and dashed to the source, forgetting about his exhaustion… at least temporarily. However, the Hylian came to a halt due to an overwhelming feeling invading his senses. Link slowly looked to the side, a purple shining crack opening on the middle of nothing, revealing something he never expected to see inside.

The cracks began to disappear as the object inside it was released. Link observed with widened eyes as a mask fell to the ground in slow motion.

It was the **Fierce Deity Mask**.

Link could not understand the meaning of this strange event until a new crack appeared just in front of his face, opening as it revealed a golden reptilian eye.

 **"By the way, the mark on your head was a spell that granted you the True Language, so you can speak normally. Also, your equipment has been scattered through the Human World, so at least I'll leave this dangerous toy in your care punk,"** Great Red's voice came from the crack. " **You'll need it if you know what I mean… God…"**

An amused laugh came after those words, the cracks sealing as Link darkened his gaze.

"What are you trying to pull, Dragon?" The Hylian muttered, picking up the mask.

An uneasy feeling came over him, the same he always felt every time he held that mask in his hands. This was the mask that anchored a power beyond understanding, the mask that transformed Link into the Avatar of a mighty **Evil God** , **Fierce Deity**.

Its origins were unknown to Link as he obtained it from **Majora** itself, an evil spirit that resided in a mask, just like the one Link was holding, though the **Majora's Mask** only caused insanity to its wielder… Never in his life had Link met a being whose only purpose of existence was to cause suffering, despair and destruction. Madness was the word to describe what Majora was.

And so, Link observed the mask that could turn him into… **The Feared Oni**.

Another scream was suddenly heard, and right after it, a new explosion. Link turned left and moved again, going through many bushes with the mysterious mask in hand until he reached an area where two enormous columns stood, one in front of the other, marking it as a gate of a long wall. It was most likely to create some sort of limit or perimeter. Around what though? That was the new question.

Yet, that was of no importance as what really caught Link's attention was not the place he now observed, but the gathered people in front of the walls. There were armoured soldiers trying to fend off the continuous attacks of a short-haired blond man that wielded a great sword, each swing creating pulses of red energy, demonic energy in fact.

"Is this all that those shitty Gremory will send to me!?" The short haired man growled. "I'm being fucking insulted!"

Link tightened his gaze as he observed the events unfolding, cloaked in the bushes.

Even more guards appeared from the gates, wielding swords with strange forms and shields with odd patterns. The attacker, seeing this, turned around and swung his great sword horizontally, creating another pulse of red energy which hit every guard, brutally blowing them away.

The amount of energy released was abnormal, this man was abnormal, not to say dangerous, that much Link could tell… things were not looking good.

"Sirzechs Lucifer! I demand your presence! The Blade of Kasgor the Vile is eagerly waiting to taste your blood and show you which family is greater!"

Link gathered both names mentioned. One: **Sirzechs Lucifer** , while the other, **Kasgor the Vile** , which was probably the name of the blond man that held the great sword.

Kasgor's killing intent was almost palpable as he continued his assault on the powerless guards that tried to fend him off. Link gritted his teeth in anger upon witnessing the massacre occurring before him. That man had to be stopped, no matter the cost.

Link had no weapons to face him, yet his mind was already crafting possible strategies to deal with the attacker as he studied Kasgor's movements and attacks carefully. Everyone had a weakness, no matter how powerful the being in question was. Monster or human, it made no difference.

Fighting an opponent without being able to counter any attack was not a good option, not while there were so many people that could get caught in the battle. Doing so would result in many getting injured or killed. If Link could study his opponent more, he would be able to come up with an effective plan to neutralize him, but the circumstances were grim and he could not afford to waste any more time.

What option had he then? Let Kasgor just kill the guards?

For whatever reason this guy had, Link was not going to let him murder anyone. He failed once when protecting a certain individual and he was not going to let no one die on his watch ever again.

Link lowered his gaze slowly, a chilling expression covering his face as his eyes reached the mask in his hand that held dark powers beyond his understanding. The mask was so powerful that it destroyed evil with such unnerving ease, and made Link become cold-hearted towards all evildoers.

 **The Oni… The Ogre…**

Yes…

 **The Fierce Deity...**

Link could count the times he used it as they were so few, he was after all, more than capable of handling his enemies with his keen mind and various strategies, even if they were much stronger than him, faster and bigger, Link emerged victoriously in every battle.

However, there were those times where the dark powers of a certain mask were of need, and such was when Link faced Majora inside the cursed moon in Termina.

Link narrowed his eyes, gaze focused on the mask as his expression darkened.

 **Part 11**

Within the walls that stretched across the southern territory perimeter of the **Gremory Clan** , one of the remaining **pure-blooded** Devil clans after of the Great War, not to mention one of the highest-ranking and famous families of the Underworld. Several guards stood in a line formation in front of an empty area.

In said empty area, the ground began to glow before a red magic circle took form from the light, creating a symbol that represented the family of **Bael** , the highest of all **72 pillars** of Devils within the Underworld that held the Rank of **Great King**.

The guards observed in expectation as the magic circle glowed brightly, a person emerging from it. The silhouette of a muscular man came to their sight, giving the guards hope.

 **Sairaorg Bael** , next heir of the **Clan of Bael** , stood with a serious expression, his violet eyes observing around him. Black hair, a muscular build, and a handsome face were his physical traits. He wore black pants and a black jacket with white and gray patterns in the middle.

"Lord Bael!" A guard addressed the tall man. "We appreciate that you came to deal with this problem. Even if it doesn't concern the Bael Clan, you are here."

Sairaorg nodded, smiling, "But it does concern me. As the cousin of Sirzechs and Rias, it's sort of my duty to protect them!" The man let out a chuckle. "I will never forgive anyone who dares try to bring harm to the Gremory Family."

"As expected of the bravest young devil!" A female guard shouted in excitement. "Lord Bael is so honourable and manly!"

"If the other Bael Clan members were as kind as Lord Sairaorg is…"

"My, my… Hehehe…" The tall high-class devil rubbed his nose, as if mildly embarrassed. "Enough with the compliments, otherwise I will believe them. Hahaha!" After another chuckle, his expression hardened. "Anyway, where is the troublemaker? I'm going to fig-"

A sudden pulse shook the walls, a massive amount of energy exploding outside the Gremory Territory's stony perimeter, earning a shocked expression from all who is there to bear witness to it. The turquoise energy made the ground tremble as the dark sky started becoming even darker.

Sairaorg didn't waste time and jumped to the top of the wall to discover the source of the mighty explosion of energy. Overwhelming dark energy that had in fact come from a person… a man... a devil...?

"Is… is that the mythical Bishamonten?" With a shocked expression, Sairaorg asked himself at seeing the man that was the source of the sudden commotion. "This… this can't be!"

The turquoise waves of energy ended soon, only a small trail of it surrounding the dark figure that stood in front of a short haired blond, guilty of the current attack of the Gremory's Territory as Sairaorg had seen through a vision-circle inside the Gremory Palace.

Kasgor, as he had called himself, was a rather tall blond man with dark green eyes that wore a black jacket and grey pants. He was staring with great interest at the unknown being standing silently some meters away from him.

"Ain't this interesting…? Who is that?" Kasgor asked to a guard lying on the ground with a broken leg, yet the guard still tried to get on his feet using his sword as support. "That much power… he is not a servant, so is he a member of the Gremory clan?"

"Like I'll answer to you, bastard!" The guard grunted in pain, causing Kasgor to tsk.

"Whatever you say, useless trash."

* * *

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Picture 04

* * *

Kasgor turned around, smirking wickedly at the silent devil and examined him, all while Sairaorg observed them from afar. He was waiting for the events to unfold before acting.

The imposing man had white hair, white piercing eyes, red marks over his cheeks and a blue one was over his forehead. He wore a light blue long cap, black pants and a black shirt under a tunic of the same colour as the cap. Over the tunic, a chest armour with two yellow patterns that resembled a waning crescent moon and a triangle. Brown boots and black fingerless gauntlets completed the outfit of the mysterious being.

The fiery and intimidating posture of this… devil, as both Sairaorg and Kasgor had acknowledge him as, was intense, unlike anything they had seen before…

However, to Sairaorg, it was more shocking the resemblance this unknown devil had to the draw of one of **Seven Gods of Fortune** , **Bishamonten** , known as **the Fierce God of War** in Japanese mythology. Only in the tales of his ancestor and first head of his clan, **Zekram Bael** , Sairaorg had heard of this Mythical being, who participated in the Great War as a neutral force with the only aim of destroying those with evil hearts.

Sairaorg could be wrong, but the sketch his ancestor made of that Fierce God had a noticeable similarity to this newcomer… maybe he was Bishamonten's descendant?

"Maybe I should ask him myself?" Kasgor gave confident steps, unimpressed by the large amount of magic energy his new opponent exuded before him. "So who might you be, huh? Did the Gremory send ya?"

the Vile, a high-class devil from the **House of Barbatos** , got no response from the white-eyed devil, causing him to grit his teeth in irritation. He, who had made various devils lick his boots after showing them that he was superior to them in every way, and this unknown bastard was not only ignoring him, but interrupting his attack on the Gremory?

"You asked for it, scumbag!"

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Prologue Section: Song 07

* * *

Kasgor gave one more step forward, planting his foot firmly on the ground and swung his great sword vertically, unleashing a red pulse of energy directed at his enemy, all while smirking.

Sairaorg observed as the magic-based projectile advanced to its intended destination, the unknown devil, and waited. The fierce-looking devil glanced at the pulse impassively and raised a hand, a blue ball of intense fire materialized over his hand for mere seconds until he formed a fist. A pillar of sky-blue fire suddenly exploded in front of him, which negated the pulse completely.

"What…?" The blonde devil raised an eyebrow as he became obviously startled. "You possess magic, I see. Well, that makes this even more interesting!" Kasgor swung his sword repeatedly, pulse after pulse being directed at his target.

This time, however, the white haired Devil didn't move, yet every time a pulse was about to hit him, turquoise light enveloped him and he appeared elsewhere, totally avoiding every attack as if he moved at a speed no sight could see.

"He is teleporting continuously," Sairaorg commented to himself, still remaining immobile. He carefully watched the fight as he was intrigued by this unknown individual. "He must be a high-class devil…"

"I see…" Kasgor darkened his gaze. "You are not a mere devil… I'll get fucking serious then…"

The Barbatos devil raised his great sword upward with both hands, red energy enveloping it as the ground cracked beneath his feet, small rocks levitating due to the concentrated energy on Kasgor's blade. Without further notice, the yellow-haired demon lunged forward, each step further cracking the ground as he advanced with surreal speed towards his opponent.

In that moment, the other devil with the red marks on his face tightened his gaze, moving his hand to his shoulder as from nothing a weapon materialized on his back out of turquoise energy; a two-handed longsword with an odd form. It was like two blades of different shades of green intertwined in the middle and on the point, creating its sharp tip, both blades beginning from the cross-guard.

The unknown devil grabbed the sword that was attached magically to his back by the hilt and waited until Kasgor was within range, both delivering a swing of theirs swords respectively. Red crashed with turquoise, the latter quickly consuming the other one after a mere second. An explosion occurred after that as both battling devils were consumed by the huge amount of unleashed demonic power.

All nearby guards were blown away by the explosion as Sairaorg covered his face with his left arm, shocked at witnessing the devastating blast from the two opposing forces, yet he noticed the red one was consumed almost instantly.

Seconds passed as the outburst of demonic energy dissipated, dust covering the area.

Sairaorg was expectant, eager to see who was standing still, and when the cloud of dust dispelled, he was not really surprised by the outcome as he had earlier foreseen it.

 **Part 12**

The dust was no more; the ground had large cracks all over it as a noticeable mark in the area showed the perimeter of the explosion's reach.

A Hylian who was currently using a certain mask, looked imperiously at the bloodied and unconscious man on the ground, the great sword broken in half lying some meters away from its owner.

Link, who was now the wielder of the dark powers of the Fierce Deity, examined his defeated foe before raising his sharp gaze towards a man standing on top of the walls nearby. The guards around the area were already helping each other to stand up as they attempted to flee.

It seemed he had caused quite the impression just now, though it was not surprising. The power this certain mask gave him was incredible, just as the legends spoke of it. Upon using the **Fierce Deity Mask** , Link transformed into a Fierce Evil God, whose power always tried to corrupt him, but Link always managed to resist its influence.

As a kid, Link had used it for the first time and had enough control to remove it after defeating **Majora**. And since then, Link had trained his mind as he grew to be able to wield it for longer periods of time without the corruption altering his mind-set. One thing could be said though; the Triforce of Courage had helped him a lot in achieving it.

 **Fierce Deity Link** put the mighty **Double Helix Sword** on his back and locked his eyes on the new presence, which seemed different from the foe he had just defeated. The Oni could tell this man was far stronger than the one that called himself Kasgor, yet it was too soon to assume it was an enemy.

The unknown man showed supernatural abilities by jumping from the tall wall to the ground, four meters away from him. Was he another magician or magical knight? Or maybe those devils and fallen angels that existed in the Underworld… so where were his black wings then?

Whatever it was, it mattered not. If he would prove to be hostile, then the Oni would deal with him properly. Never holding back and granting no mercy.

"It's impressive…" The purple-eyed man spoke, putting on an amused expression. "You don't have even the tiniest scratch, and the slash from this man from the Barbatos Clan had a considerable amount of power within it… Even I would have suffered a bit of damage in that explosion."

 _(Barbatos Clan… There are clans, I see…)_

The Oni gave no reply, his sharp eyes still focused on the man.

"Hmm… I'm Sairaorg Bael, the Next head of the Bael Family," The muscular man spoke. "Who might you be? You did us a favour by taking down this idiotic troublemaker, so at least I'd like to thank you."

"I have no name…" The Oni replied quietly.

Sairaorg blinked and then smirked.

"I see… For someone to be this strong and have no name… You may indeed be a descendant of Bishamonten after all, yet that dark energy," Sairaorg crossed his arms. "Your magic power is nothing I had felt before, so it makes me wonder from where you came… Do you happen to have a family, nameless devil?"

 _(Bishamonten…? And Devil…? He thinks I'm a devil then…? Mm…)_

"I don't," Was his short reply.

"That is odd…" the black-haired man put a thoughtful hand on his chin. "A stray Devil perhaps…? Though I have never heard of one that…" Harsh eyes were soon directed at the Oni, Sairaorg adjusting his neck with a snap. "You are strong and have no family, so I can't let you go."

The Oni said nothing, and put his hand on the grip of his sword.

"While I'm eager to fight you, nameless devil, I think we can solve this peacefully," The Bael's future head put one hand on his hip and the other towards the Fierce Deity. "If you were to surrender, I would see you receive no harm as I have no evidence that you committed any crime... yet."

The Oni gripped his sword firmly for several seconds, causing Sairaorg to put on a serious expression. Eventually, as both glared at each other, the unknown devil let go of his sword, the intense aura he exuded before now gone.

Sairaorg relaxed his posture at that.

Before the muscular man could speak again, the ground at his side glowed, the light forming into a circular shape as a symbol appeared in the middle. The Oni narrowed his gaze upon seeing the rare phenomenon.

"I could have handled this, you know?" Sairaorg said to two figures appearing from the shining circle of the ground.

If the Oni was not emotionless, he could have widened his eyes in surprise. The two figures that emerged from the circle that most likely was of magical origin, were a man and a woman.

The woman was simply beautiful, having silver hair and matching eyes. Her hair flowed all the way down to her back, featuring a long braid on each side with tiny blue bows at the ends. The rest was let down, which consisted of two thick but lovely braids. She wore a blue and white maid outfit, much different than the ones Link had seen that displayed long sleeves and a white maid headband over her head. She probably used the kind of cosmetics Zelda normally used that made her lips look bright red.

However, what caught the Oni's attention was the man standing proudly at the woman's side.

Shoulder length crimson hair and blue-green eyes were his prominent traits. He looked rather young, as did the woman at his side, probably in their early twenties. The man wore a dark green vest with three gold strings that connected both sides over a white robe. He also used a black chest armour with gold patterns stretched over his outfit and black spaulders with golden edges, the one over his shoulders being bigger than the next three that protruded under the first spaulder.

The Oni could sense an air of nobility coming from them somehow.

"I appreciate your offer, but I think I will take care of this, Sairaorg," The man with crimson hair spoke to him casually. "This gentleman means serious business after all."

"Really? To see you intervening into this sort of thing is rather unusual," The muscular man replied with mild surprise. "Is it because of Grayfia?"

Blue-green eyes met white ones as the armoured man stepped forward to the Oni.

"No…" He glanced briefly at the maid. "It's not every day that we meet an Evil God, Sairaorg…" The man to whom the redhead spoke widened both eyes, sporting a shocked expression for plenty of obvious reasons.

"Evil God…!?"

 _(Evil God…? Even in another world, I'm called that again?)_

"Indeed," The maid that was addressed as Grayfia responded while nodding. "Such as Lord Loki or the deceased Lord Balor. That is why he has no master as he is far beyond being a mere Devil."

 _(So I'm not a devil then, but an Evil God.)_

Majora called the spirit inside the Fierce Deity Mask, the **Bad Guy** , which Link first assumed was just because of its twisted mind, but Link soon discovered that upon wielding it, divine, yet dark, energy flowed through his entire body. There were no words to explain what he felt when he used the mask's dark powers beyond his understanding.

Was he evil when he wore it? No... He was not as he only used it for good, yet every enemy he had crushed with it stated that his presence was evil. In the end, Link concluded that he was only called evil when he wore it because he in fact looked evil, wicked, sinister...

The man with crimson hair gazed at the silent 'Evil' God and spoke.

"Yes, so I wan-"

He was cut off when Grayfia walked forward and stood in front of the Oni God.

"Sorry for our lack of manners," She bowed. "Lord Nameless, you are in the presence of Lord Sirzechs Lucifer, leader of the four Great Satans, also known as the Crimson Satan. He is the Great Demon Lord of the Underworld."

 _(Demon Lord...? Like Evil King?)_

Sirzechs looked somehow surprised, only nodding as the maid continued to make the presentations.

"You have already met Lord Sairaorg so I will present myself," She bowed yet again. "My name is Grayfia Lucifuge, a maid that serves the House of Gremory. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

As she said this, countless guards soon appeared around the area, some of them approaching the small group from the inner walls, while others came down… flying…

 _(Black wings… So they are indeed the beings I have seen in those images… Devils…)_

Soon, **Oni Link** found himself surrounded by the Crimson Satan and his guards. To answer in kind, he grabbed the grip of his sword again, his posture menacing as it made every guard give a step back in fear.

"Stand back!" Sirzechs commanded as he raised a hand to the side. "He is not an enemy, at least not just yet, so lower your weapons…" The crimson-haired devil paused. "Because you are not an enemy to us, are you?"

The Fierce Deity remained silent, eventually letting go of the sword on his back as he crossed his arms. He was willing to listen to them as they did not appear to be evil, despite being called devils, unlike the one he had just defeated.

"Good…" The Crimson Satan nodded, as every lance and sword was put down. "So, I would like to ask you some questions before anything, nameless god."

The Oni suspected that these people had seen his confrontation with Kasgor from somewhere before arriving. He wondered what **Great Satan** meant, though he could tell that these Devils apparently organized themselves as clans or families, such as the three mentioned so far which were Gremory, Bael and Barbatos.

"Beware of what you may ask…" The Oni finally spoke, his voice grave but somehow young.

"Fine then…" Sirzechs nodded. "First of all, did you say the truth about having no name?"

No response came from the Oni, and his face didn't make any notable change either.

"I'll take that as a yes…" The redhead smiled, "Where do you come from?"

"I do not come from this world. That is all I will say," Oni Link replied curtly.

The devils frowned at his response, exchanging short glances. Link was not lying, but he was not giving any real information either as he simply thought there was no need to, at least not yet.

"It's not really surprising as Evil Gods do not reside in the Underworld, but in other realms…" Sirzechs looked briefly at the sky. "What is your purpose by coming here?"

Oni Link darkened his gaze, startling them a bit. So far, he could see clearly that this was some sort of interrogation, so he suspected that these… Devils… were making sure he was not their enemy. It was understandable, yet a bit unnerving.

"I don't recall. I can't even tell how I got here…"

"…Well, that is most troubling," Commented Sirzechs, as Grayfia, who stood at his side, just remained with her hands locked, a solemn expression on her face with eyes closed. "What are you going to do now if you don't recall your purpose?"

The Oni once again remained silent, yet this time was because he was pondering his next reply.

His mission was to find the Dimentia's Warlock, Black Seeder, and put an end to his plans, which was to corrupt this dimension and spread the corruption throughout every existing reality.

Now he found himself being interrogated by creatures called Devils, which were different from how he had seen them in other dimensions. Link couldn't exactly tell them that he was from another world and what they were seeing now was the power of a mask.

He wondered what they would do if they found out that he was not truly an **Evil God** , not even a devil or anything related to this world. He was after all, a Hylian from the magical Kingdom of Hyrule.

And beyond all that, he was the Hero chosen by the goddesses of his Realm. Yet, Link suspected that revealing that information was not going to be a good idea as he didn't know how the relationships between the factions and races worked in this dimension.

For now, he would be an evil god that has lost some of his memories… it was ironic, considering who Link was…

"I will walk where the wind takes me until I recall my purpose," Oni Link finally replied.

Sirzechs blinked and exchanged glances with Sairaorg, who nodded with arms folded. After that, the Crimson Satan returned his gaze back to the Evil God.

"How about if I help you find one, or at least, help you recall the purpose you previously had?" The Demon Lord unexpectedly offered. He seemed to be a kind person, despite being called the **Devil King**. "We, the Gremory, are always pleased to help anyone that may need it. And if an Evil God has lost his way, there is no way that we would overlook that."

A whole minute passed in silence as Sirzechs Lucifer waited expectantly, when suddenly, the unknown evil god spoke again.

"I am listening…" The Oni's opaque voice echoed quietly.

 **Part 13**

Inside the **Gremory Palace** , three females observed the unexpected event that was currently happening near the southern borders of their territory through a vision circle created with demonic magic.

One of them had very long black hair that was tied with an orange ribbon into a ponytail. Her eyes were purple and she wore a dark green dress, displaying some of her generous proportions. The one sat on a large luxurious sofa had blue-green eyes and beautiful long hair that reached down to her tights that possessed a vivid crimson colour. Her outfit was composed of a red dress with black borders and a ribbon on her hip.

Finally, the oldest of the three had shoulder-length brown hair and deep purple eyes. She sported a white dress, and on her neck, she had two necklaces with red oval jewels on them. It need not be said that they were beautiful. Supernaturally so.

The three women were deeply intrigued by the newcomer, who seemed to be fierce and powerful. Not to mention what Sirzechs had said before leaving to greet the unknown man.

 _"He is not a stray devil, he is an Evil God."_

The crimson-haired girl feared the outcome, as she knew that Evil Gods only sought to cause suffering and destruction. She would not stand doing nothing if her dear brother, Sirzechs, was to fight an Evil God, even if her cousin Sairaorg was with him.

But as the minutes passed, it now seemed that the Evil God would cooperate with them, so to her relief, there was no sign of an oncoming battle.

"Oh my, my… That man sure is intimidating…" The black-haired young woman commented as she smiled, putting a hand on her cheek.

"He indeed is," The woman that somehow seemed older agreed.

The girl with crimson hair looked closely through the vision circle, observing every feature of the white-haired god. She had to accept that this man was a bit interesting.

 _(An evil god, huh…)_

"Ufufu…" She let out a soft chuckle, earning the attention of both women sat near her. "Maybe he could prove to be a good…"

"Rias?" The brown-haired woman addressed her.

 **Rias Gremory** glanced at her mother before smiling again, her green-blue eyes shining with an unusual intensity.

* * *

 **Link is hiding his human or Hylian form from the devils with the Fierce Deity Mask. What do you think he is planning for the future?**

 **"Migdiada", by the way, means "Nap" but in Catalan language.**

 **The kingdoms and characters mentioned in Part 4 were not invented. They are actually from the Zelda animated series and CD-i games.**

 **To those that don't know, "Oni" is the word used in Japanese Folklore to name the supernatural beings known as Demons, Devils or Ogres. In japan, "The Fierce Deity Link" was called "The Oni Link".**

 **Also, if people don't know, the Fierce Deity in the Majora's Mask was based in Bishamonten, a japanese god of war that destroyed evil without mercy. The darks powers though may be attributed due to Majora giving Link that mask as Majora called The Fierce Deity the bad guy, and even the game states that the powers of this mask was darker that the one of Majora.**

 **I welcome reviews, whether there are inquiries, doubts, critiques or compliments. Don't be shy, let me know what you think and please review.**

 **I'll leave you guys with a question: Hero and an Evil God, Link is both, so, who of them will be the true villain?**

 **\- Frank**


	2. Not a Devil, Not Evil

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, just the Ocarina of Time I bought some days ago which is easy to play, though I can't travel through time with it... oh well... at least it looks awesome.**

 **Go to my profile and enter the one that belongs to this story. The links for songs and the pics should be there. Also, the cover has been updated. **Thanks to PupsIsMyDog, DJexe, Nara257 and**** **Crucifix HiME** **for the definitive and amazing beta-work.**

 **Now. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Path of Legends: Hero X Devil**

 **Life 1: Not a Devil, not Evil.**

* * *

 **"THOU, MiGhTy GoD, whO WiLL deSTroY The lAwS oF HeaVEn anD hEll, RiSE! FoR thOU SHaLt ObTaiN ThE KnOWleDge To FaCe The OBSTacles In tHy ChOSeN ROaD!"**

* * *

 **Part 1**

"Onii-sama! What is the meaning of this!? You said that he could reincarnate into a Devil… so why can't I make him my servant?"

Rias Gremory asked in shock upon hearing the irksome response of her brother. She couldn't believe it. Her chance of getting a powerful servant had been presented before her and her brother simply stated that such was beyond the bounds of possibility.

However, Rias was not someone to give up so easily, at the least she would not accept it unless there was a good reason for her to desist.

"Onii-sama, please answer me…"

Sirzechs sighed, crossing his fingers he remained sat in the large sofa. Near him was Grayfia, the maid that served the Gremory family who stood behind the furniture, and by his side, **Venelana Gremory** , mother of both young Devils with crimson hair.

Inside one of the many rooms of the **Gremory Mansion** , the high-class Devils had gathered to discuss their current affairs. Of course, all were related to an evil God that was currently inside the Great Library of the Palace, as he had stated that he was interested in gaining knowledge of the world he was in. No one had dared to disturb him since.

"I think you are misunderstanding something, Rias. It's not that I don't want you to make him your servant, but you see, the problem is..." The Demon Lord stopped briefly, searching for the words to sugar-coat his answer, yet he couldn't grasp any at that moment. "...that you can't, not anymore."

"Not anymore?"

"Yes…" Sirzechs confirmed, his eyes sharp, "And I have to say that I'm still a bit shocked myself because I have never seen something so strange in all the time I have lived. Not even our father, I assume."

Rias tightened her gaze as she felt agitated, which wasn't surprising. Apparently, the reason for why she couldn't make that evil God her servant, as her brother had informed, was because... of her own inability?

"Explain it clearly onii-sama. You said it yourself, even if he is an evil God..."

"Yes…" Sirzechs paused, studying his sister's face. "Incredibly, this unknown deity does fulfil the conditions to be able to reincarnate as a Devil despite being a God, which is extremely rare. But that is of no importance as not even I can make him my servant."

Everyone around him widened their eyes with the exception of Venelana, Grayfia and **Lord Gremory** , current head of the Gremory clan and father to both Rias and Sirzechs, who was seated in a comfortably padded chair.

"Even as the Demon Lord, that's beyond my reach," He sighed, then rested his back on the comfortable sofa.

During the last two weeks since the God's arrival, Sirzechs had been using whatever resources he had at his disposal to gather information and discover the identity of their increasingly distinguished guest, but that was not meant to occur as he did not find even the tiniest bit of information on the existence of someone with his characteristics.

Even the data supplied by the books that Sairaorg Bael loaned to the Gremory in order to search for the possibility of the God being related to the mythical Bishamonten resulted in fruitlessness. Sirzechs found no proof of a connection between them.

Just another fucking dead end.

Rias noticed the perplexity painted over her brother's face; an expression that was rather unusual to emerge across his features.

"Is he that powerful? Even ultimate class Devils can become servants," Rias retorted with a pout. "Onii-sama, at least let me try…"

"No… and that's my definite answer…"

Brother and sister stared at each other for several seconds, the male with a solemn expression while the female looked awfully expectant. It was rather odd that Sirzechs would act this cut and dry with her, despite how much he loved his dear sister. However, this was a serious matter.

The Red Satan had no idea of the Evil God's identity. Although, he could sense that he was extremely powerful, and so unlike anything he had felt before. Evil pieces could not reincarnate **Gods** or **Buddhas** into Devils. Nonetheless, he found out that this evil God in particular showed him a certain number of pieces that would be required to make him be reincarnated as a Devil.

Evidently, this unknown God was a unique case.

"None of us have enough evil pieces to make him our servant."

The crimson-haired girl blinked, just like the black-haired girl at her side did, who happened to be part of her peerage, Rias' Queen, **Himejima Akeno**.

"Wait onii-sama…" Rias stood up from her seat, slightly irritated, "Are you telling me that he could indeed become our servant? But the problem is that we lack pieces?"

"In a way, yes…" The Demon Lord replied immediately.

That was absurd! Her first thought was that reincarnating evil Gods as Devils would be impossible because of the power they held, but in this case, the problem was the number of pieces? She could understand why her brother could not do it as his peerage was complete. But she had many unused pieces. Maybe her brother was overly worried that such a fierce deity would harm her, which honestly was highly conceivable.

But... the reward was in the risk, and an ambitious woman needed to know when to take them.

"Onii-sama, I possess plenty of pieces I have yet to use…" She sat again, regaining her composure. "What are the number of pieces I need?"

Rias's peerage was far from being complete, and she was determined to make him her servant. She had many pieces, so there was no way that he was out of her reach. She was a high-class Devil from the Gremory Clan, and as such, it would be only natural that a powerful being such as that God would become her faithful servant. With someone like him at her side, even her forced engagement to that insufferable man would be history if she was to play a **Rating Game** for her freedom and defeat not only him, but his new Queen, the **Red Tyrant**.

Several seconds passed, which seemed everlasting, until the Demon Lord responded.

"To reincarnate him as a Devil, you would need 8 pawns…"

Rias blinked at the revelation, but nodded, realizing that it was not surprising. The intimidating man was an evil God after all. Yet this would mean that she could…

"I have 8 pawn pieces at my disposal, onii-sama. I can mak-"

"…2 bishops…" Her eyes widened at the interruption or… new added information.

 _(…More pieces? Then I really can't…)_

"2 Knights and 2 rooks… These are the pieces needed for him to reincarnate as a Devil. You do not possess all those pieces, Rias," Sirzechs finished.

Grayfia and Lord Gremory knew it as Sairaorg Bael did, who was informed on their way back to the palace. Depending on the power of the Devil, the number of pieces that would be required to reincarnate the being into a Devil were fewer. While Rias required 14 pieces to make the Evil God her servant, Sirzechs, even as the Demon Lord, would need only his 2 rooks, 2 knights and 2 bishops, which were not available either.

Simply put, there was no Devil with the same power as the Crimson Satan that held that number of pieces available; therefore, there was no known Devil that could make this Evil God his or her servant.

"14 pieces… impossible," The future head of the Gremory gaped at the Crimson Satan, "This… can't be… I thought that different evil pieces couldn't be used on the same individual..."

"I thought that too, so I'm gonna need to contact Ajuka to ask him about this..."

Rias Gremory blinked in shock. Suddenly, Lord Gremory rose from his seat, his white tuxedo with an inner black shirt shining somehow. Even if the possibility existed, there was no way for them to make that Evil God a Servant. They didn't even know if he was an ally or if they were being deceived by him…

This unknown God was also a potential danger.

"We will have to keep an eye on him as long as he remains inside Gremory Territory," Lord Gremory spoke strongly and smirked. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves, as he may prove to be a trustworthy ally… a powerful one at that. So, let's make him feel secure and comfortable for the time being."

"Ara ara…" Akeno giggled. "The Gremory clan is sure exceptional at being affectionate with Devils, so why not with evil Gods…?"

Rias frowned, dropping her gaze. Her hopes of getting a powerful servant unavoidably faded.

"Father," Sirzechs addressed the other crimson-haired man. "I still feel… reluctant about this… I knew that bringing him into the palace was the best option available, but to leave him in solitude may endanger our clan. We need to talk to him properly."

Sairaorg stepped up, cracking his knuckles, a wild smile creeping on his face. He was feeling excited! A mighty opponent had appeared, and he was looking forward to… at least having a spar with him if the God showed that he would cooperate with them. However, considering the delicate circumstances of this matter, well… that was most likely not a suitable idea… at least not for the moment.

"Don't worry. I will take care of him should he become hostile," The Bael member spoke with clear confidence.

"Grayfia," Lord Gremory gestured for the maid to move. "Bring the gentleman here."

She bowed respectfully, "As you wish, Lord Gremory."

A magic circle appeared under her feet and she disappeared.

"Now that I think about it," Venelana suddenly said, everyone directing their attention towards the beautiful woman, "I can't sense the power of the strange Evil God anywhere…"

An expression of shock emerged on Rias and Sairaorg's face at those words.

"He has not escaped or anything like that," Were the tranquilizing words of the Demon Lord. "Since he entered the library, I could tell that he created some sort of barrier around the room to prevent us from going inside it or sensing anything from within it… He needs his privacy, I assume."

 **Part 2**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Song 01

* * *

He had seen many libraries during his travels. They came in many forms and sizes, but the library he was currently in was something else. It was incredible, and that sure meant something coming from him.

Link stood inside an enormous library, filled with abnormally tall bookshelves that reached the barely visible ceiling. Blue fire illuminated the room from the candles of the chandeliers that hung between the corridors created by the large furniture. The walls were painted with rectangular designs of purple and black colours.

He advanced further in the room, the soft sound of his steps on the lilac carpeted ground echoed within the vast room. Link observed the blue fire of a metal candle attached on the wall for several seconds before he shook his head. That fire reminded Link of the torch inside the ghost shop by the entrance of the destroyed Hyrule Market in another timeline.

"All I have been doing is walking around aimlessly…" He muttered.

After he was brought to this palace, **Link** , as the 'Evil God', had told the group of Devils that he wanted to familiarize himself with the history of the world he had just arrived to, in case that it would help him regain his lost memories, and also recall the purpose of his presence in a world not his own.

The Devils brought him to the palace's library as they believed it would be the perfect place for him to start gathering information. So after entering the enormous room, he asked to be left alone inside, he didn't want to be disturbed.

While that was partly true, Link's true intention was to remain alone long enough for him to remove the Oni Mask, he could tell the corruption was slowly crawling into his mind. The first symptom was the omnipotent wrath he felt towards evilness. Then, the abnormal thought of having done the correct thing by brutally and mercilessly defeating Kasgor.

If the demonic powers of the mask got out of control, no one would survive the eternal wrath of the Fierce Deity… He knew that very well. Link could not risk the lives of those that seemed kind, despite them being called Devils. He encased the entire library with Nayru's Love to prevent anyone from entering the room and noticing that his demonic presence would disappear.

Only when the magic crystal covered every wall, from the ground to the ceiling, did Link attempt to remove the mask without causing unwanted trouble.

And so, after that, Link found himself basking in the features of the enormous room, marvelling at the odd designs of the bookshelves, the candles, the large table with only six chairs located in the middle of the room, and a large red sofa. They were all crafted masterfully in Link's honest opinion.

"So from where should I begin…?"

*Knock Knock*

Link sighed, feeling troubled as he turned around to the entrance door, a female voice talked through it.

"Nameless Lord," The voice of Grayfia Lucifuge spoke respectfully. "I was ordered to ask for your presence in the hall where my lords have gathered."

Link snorted. While Nayru's Love prevented anything from entering the space where it was created while also concealing all magic inside its crystal walls, sounds would still pass through it. Even after mastering this spell to the perfection, Link could not prevent the sounds from coming in.

A drop of sweat trailed down Link's forehead upon hearing the voice of the maid… what part of being left alone didn't they understand? He hadn't even opened a single freaking book yet!

Link put on the Oni mask once again whilst trying to suppress its powers. He didn't want to create a mess due to the pulses that it created every time he put it on. Honestly speaking, the spectacle of massive energy this mask produced greatly expanded the intimidating power that Link had used to break the spirit and confidence in his foes. But it was not that Link needed it to emerge victorious, the power of the Fierce Deity was more than enough to destroy everything if he so desired it to.

The Fierce Deity walked to the door, Nayru's love being dispelled. His face was emotionless as usual.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

The Fierce Deity emerged from a magic circle together with Grayfia. Before them was a medium sized hall with expensive-looking furniture such as sofas and chairs. Tall rectangular windows with detailed drawings over them covered the far wall. The same style could be seen in this room as in the library, so Link guessed he was still inside the palace.

In the seats before him sat a large gathering of people, just as the maid had informed him. He noticed some of the people that greeted him before, like the so called Demon Lord or Maou, Sirzechs, and to his side was a beautiful woman with purple eyes and brown hair.

A man with similar features to the Demon Lord was sitting in a rather big luxurious chair next to them, and Sairaorg was standing with arms crossed just a bit farther to the left.

The Oni's white eyes then met blue-green ones that belonged to a beautiful girl with crimson hair, just like the other two in the room. Link began to speculate that they were all related by blood, mostly due to the fact their features were alike. Not even a second passed before the evil God glanced at yet another beautiful girl sitting next to her, who sported her black hair in a high tail, violet eyes and had this… odd smile on her face.

"Lord Gremory, I have brought our guest as you had asked," Grayfia bowed to them before walking towards the group.

The man with crimson hair stood up from the chair and stepped forward, smiling confidently, and spoke to the Evil God, unexpectedly casual.

"Greetings to you, my friend. Thanks for providing us some of your time as I assume you still have plenty of things to do," Lord Gremory extended a hand to the Oni, yet he didn't receive a response. "Huh… so, let's jump to business."

The Fierce Deity crossed his arms and nodded, making a humming sound.

"Before anything, we should present ourselves," The man began. "Just as Grayfia called me, I'm Lord Gremory, current head of the Gremory Clan," He motioned to the woman with brown hair and put a hand on her shoulder. "She is my wife, Venelana Gremory and you have already met my son, Sirzechs," The mentioned Maou smirked.

"Nice to meet you, nameless God," Venelana put on a kind smile.

"You also met my nephew Sairaorg Bael, and next is my lovely daughter, Rias Gremory."

The girl with crimson hair blushed and quickly stood up, "Father! D-don't call me lovely in front of u-unknown Gods…"

"Soooo cute…" Sirzechs commented playfully while the God raised an eyebrow.

"Mou…" Rias closed her eyes, regaining her composure and sat on the sofa, cheeks still red.

"Ara ara, it's always amusing to see you embarrassed Rias," The girl with black hair giggled.

Maybe he would have smiled upon seeing this scene, but the God felt nothing. The mask removed all unnecessary feelings in order to make the fierce God unstoppable. After all, if there was no love, regret, or kindness when he fought, then he would destroy his enemies without holding back.

"You too, Akeno?" Rias groaned in irritation.

Another chuckle came from the girl called Akeno before the head of the Gremory clan spoke again, earning the God's attention back to him. Despite looking a bit flamboyant, the Oni could tell that Lord Gremory was strong and would be a mighty opponent just like his son.

"She is Himejima Akeno, a close friend of the Gremory family."

Unexpectedly to the Oni, said girl stood up and walked to him, bowing slightly before she gave him a bashful smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Evil God."

The Oni stared at her, unmoved by her boldness and eventually nodded. Seemingly satisfied with his response, Akeno Himejima returned to her seat. Well, the hylian could have said something like 'that was sort of interesting…' but Link didn't really care right now… probably due to the mask's influence.

"Now that we are over with the presentations, I would like to talk a bit," The red-haired man cleared his throat. "You see, I have to be honest with you. We have no clue of who you might be, and I can't be sure if you are telling us the truth about yourself either."

"Understandable…" The Oni commented, yet he said no more.

The current head of the clan took some seconds before he continued, examining the unknown deity. His aura was indeed not of a Devil, much less of an angel or from a fallen. He could sense dark powers from him, yet they were divine. It was somehow similar to the aura that one of the **Gods of Asgard** possessed. Lord Gremory concluded that the unknown God came from another mythology.

"I would like to know something," Lord Gremory continued after the Fierce Deity lowered his gaze, as if attentive. "Will you bring harm to us in any way? I imagine that you are not just called an evil God because of your dark powers."

Just as the stories Link had heard in the world of Termina from **Anju's** **grandmother** , a God that punished evil without mercy, a being that transcended the beliefs of even the **Four Giants** that watched over Termina. A God with dark powers that would simply eradicate the presence of evil with his own.

"I only destroy evil, so that depends on you," The Dark God declared fiercely.

Every Devil inside the hall wondered if the God among them should be referred to as evil. The God hadn't shown so far that he was that, so why assume he was evil? Despite that their race were called Devils, every existing being was capable of being that. Humans, Angels and Fallens were all capable of being evil, even Gods. He certainly couldn't be called good as his presence was dark and frightening, likewise, it was too soon to assume that he was evil.

Lord Gremory continued.

"Are you going to remain with us? We offer you a place to stay, food and also help if you should need it. I can make some arrangements to make it happen, but it all depends on you."

"I could remain here for some time," Was the God's reply. "The library of the palace may give me useful information."

"That's certainly good to hear," The Crimson Satan suddenly commented. "All we want is to help you… get back on track. You can be certain that my father's... no, the clan's intentions with you are to solely help you recover your memories."

That sounded good, pretty good in fact. Link was in a dimension where almost everything was and would probably remain to be unknown to him, so the offer he just received was welcomed. Even if he had to use the cursed mask plenty of times to hide his true self, to leave the palace without having a clear destination in mind would simply be stupid and reckless.

Beggars can't be choosers, right?

"I see… is there any particular reason for this?"

"Destiny has brought you to us, and we won't ignore it. We don't trust you, and I can tell you feel the same about us, but I think it would be the best for both parties if we cooperated, don't you think?"

Link, as the Oni, contemplated briefly about the offer of the Gremory Devils. Access to their enormous library, add in their food and bed; their proposal was indeed not bad… He had lost his equipment due to the crazy actions of that damned dragon, so this was an offer he could not refuse.

"Yes…" The Oni replied and turned around. "If we are done, I will return to the Library," The white-haired deity looked towards the maid.

Grayfia understood quite well his stare. The God was brought here by her, so it was only proper for the maid to take him back to the library. He would most likely get lost if he went by himself. The silver-haired maid glanced at both male redheads, both nodding as they gave her permission.

"As you wish my lord," She turned to the dark God.

"Otou-sama? Onii-sama?" Rias rose from her seat. "I thought that you were going to ask-"

A magic circle was created by the maid under the evil God as she walked to him. When both stood inside it, the circle shone with intensity and both disappeared, but not before sparing a glance at the female redhead. Rias could only wait for the Demon Lord to speak.

"If he is to remain in the palace, then we'll have plenty of time to talk with him properly," Her brother responded. "Don't worry, Rias."

"As you brother says, Rias-tan!" Lord Gremory spoke with clear affection towards her daughter, recalling how some Japanese humans tended to call their daughters in the Human world. "It's for the best that our guest does whatever he feels like doing first."

Rias understood their reasoning; if the evil God felt comfortable in the palace, then he would remain with them. Letting him do what he pleased, at least momentarily, was the best way to achieve that. Yet, she was looking forward to learning more of him, seeing that it was very rare the occasions when a mighty Dark God would visit her very home.

"Fine…"

 **Part 3**

 **[** A few weeks later… **]**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Song 02

* * *

As was usual, Link was inside the palace's library. Of course, the room was covered by Nayru's Love to prevent the Devils from noticing his current form, that of a hylian, and not of an evil God they believed him to be.

Link, under the cover of a God, was given his own bedroom inside the palace walls, expected of high class nobles, though honestly, he didn't really care about it. All he truly needed was a place to sleep, food to eat and a good place to gather information.

The Gremory palace offered all those to him.

Most of the time, if not all, Link spent his days locked inside the library, reading countless books. Some of them held myths of this realm, others the story of Devils, how they were grouped, the most influential clans, and in particular, the **72 pillars** which were the most important clans of the Underworld due to their status as **pure blooded-Devils**.

The **Four Great Satans** , that were the original rulers of the Devil kind, were named **Lucifer** , **Beelzebub** , **Leviathan** , and **Asmodeus**. However, they all died in the Great War, which Link already knew of thanks to a certain massive Dragon.

After their deaths in the Great War, descendants of the original four Satans had intended to carry on the legacy by gathering supporters to resume the war that was left unfinished. However, they were opposed by the **Anti-Satan faction** , which only sought to ensure the survival of their species.

A civil war erupted, caused by the clash of different ideologies and eventually, all the descendants were defeated by the Anti-Satan faction. This prevented the Great War from occurring once again. Using their names as a title, new rulers were chosen that also were born with incredible power.

Link narrowed his gaze upon reading this; after all, it was rare that a history book would mention the power of certain individuals as a matter of knowledge, which he assumed was to ensure anyone would respect the new leaders of the Devil society.

One of them belonged to the clan that had offered the Oni God a place to stay as long as he needed, with nothing in exchange apparently. The Gremory clan, that produced the current Lucifer of the Four Satans, was known and respected due to their extraordinary talent with magic, and also because of the notable affection they displayed to other Devils.

To his surprise, he found out that Devils could reincarnate other races into… Devils, and even revive them somehow and make them their servants, although the word 'servant' didn't really imply what it truly meant. It was only used to state that said reincarnated Devil belonged to one's peerage. It was fantastic as this was far more advanced than any Necromancy spell he had seen during his travels that intended to bring people back from the dead.

They used some sort of magical system called **Evil Pieces** , which was composed of 16 chess pieces, and yeah, chess existed in Hyrule as it was a hobby for most nobles, including Zelda, the King and even Link sometimes found it interesting.

As the kind Venelana had informed him, these pieces were granted to top-class Devils to increase their ranks as the Great War had taken the lives of most of their people. The **Blue Satan** was behind the creation of this magical system, its purpose, replenishing the number of Devils.

 **King** was the Devil that controlled the peerage, and the other pieces were used to gather servants, each one of them giving the 'servants' some enhancements depending on the role of the piece used. Link didn't go in depth with this topic as it was an unrelated matter to him.

To his amusement, he heard some gossip from the servants of the manor, true servants as the word implied, about Rias Gremory's intention of making him, the Evil God, her servant, but found out that he was too powerful and that she lacked the pieces for that.

 _(Too powerful huh... they have no idea…)_

Putting the Devils aside, he also learnt of the existence and nature of Dragons, about the **Biblical God** and his angels, the leaders of the fallen angels and their organization named **Grigori**.

However, none of this really helped him in the search for Dimentia's Warlock, and it was not really surprising if one considered that this being was an unknown body to this dimension as Link was. Well, at least he was familiarizing himself with the laws of this world.

Now, another subject that caught the interest of the Hylian Hero, though he found little about it, was the **Sacred Gears**. Some texts mentioned about the biblical God creating some sort of powerful artefacts that humans could be born with.

It was truly irksome finding a lack of details about these objects in the books he had read, and while Link continued to search for more information, he couldn't really find anything useful. Feeling dissatisfied, the otherworldly warrior used the Oni God to gather information from the Devils themselves inside the palace.

The countless servants were of great assistance, as they knew plenty of gossip about the Biblical God's artefacts, even informing some of the names of the people that actually possessed them. To his surprise, Link found out that there were Devils that could actually use them. An example was Sairaorg Bael, who apparently possessed a sacred gear called **Regulus Nemea** , said to be one of the most powerful sacred gears.

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Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Picture 01

* * *

In all, he could admit that his time in the palace was well spent, though he still had plenty of books to read and research to be done.

Link rested his arms on the table's surface where a large amount of books were piled, crossing his fingers as he playfully closed one eye and observed the books with the other.

 _(Well, well... things are getting interesting...)_

Suddenly, a sound was heard.

*Knock Knock*

 **Part 4**

A gold-haired Hylian sighed… yet another interruption!

"My Lord," The always calm voice of Grayfia came through the door. "I have brought you dinner."

Link quickly glanced at the mask resting of the table's surface, a strange expression covering his face as he could sense something from the ominous object… and finally grabbed it.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

"Again, I'm really sorry for this… development, my lord."

This was the fourth time Grayfia had apologized, and the Fierce Deity could have not cared any less, but his current circumstances were quite ridiculous. If he wasn't wearing the mask, well, he would have twitched an eyebrow in irritation… maybe?

The Oni was sitting at the only table of the library, reading a book after eating the exquisite food brought by Grayfia as he ignored the irksome sounds emerging in every direction around him, at least, most of them. Giggles, chatter, and even shouts were the source of the unexpected commotion inside the library.

Thirteen girls, yes… thirteen girls were the ones responsible for the current situation.

When the Evil God opened the door, not before removing the spell of Nayru, he was not only greeted by the maid, but also by a considerably large group of women of varied ages. Even if he didn't ask for an explanation, Grayfia informed him that the fiancé of Rias Gremory had come to visit her now that she was staying in the palace during her vacation.

Rias apparently attended some sort of educational facility called **School** in this world, which Hyrule began to create four years ago to instruct the future Hylians. Link could recall his visit to the first one created in Castle Town, although they were called **Academies**. They not only taught basic knowledge of mathematics, politics and sciences, but also held two departments that took care of teaching alchemy and magic.

The King and Zelda knew very well that the investment in knowledge always paid with the best interest; that is why Hyrule was becoming a rather wealthy Kingdom, which supported other races such as the Gerudo to improve their way of life.

Back to the matter at hand, the group of females belonged to the peerage of the aforementioned fiancé, whose name was **Riser Phoenix** from the house of **Phoenix**. Link had never heard of him until now, and it really wasn't of his interest.

Now, the only doubt he had was...

Why was HIS peerage making a mess of his peaceful research? Was it intended? Maybe Riser heard of a mighty Evil God residing in the Gremory palace and took interest in him? But no, these girls were here on their own accord. That wasn't much better.

"It's my first time seeing an Evil God so close! He looks scary!" A short girl with green bright hair commented with joy, peeping at the face of the Oni, who just kept reading a book as if he was alone.

"You are right, Nel!" Another one responded, who was identical to the one that just spoke, most likely twins, those two.

"Hey, you two!" A well-endowed young woman with shoulder-length black hair and blue-green eyes reprimanded. "Stop pestering him! Remember that he could kill us in the blink of an eye."

That was... an undeniable truth…

 **Part 5**

 **Xuelan** , Rook of Riser's peerage, had tried to stop the troublesome pair from coming to the library after they heard that an unknown evil God was residing inside the Gremory Manor. She couldn't believe that her dear Master, **Lord Riser** , had allowed them to do whatever they pleased inside a clan's palace not his own. The Gremory members didn't seem bothered by this and had agreed to that as well.

So the first thing that **Ile** and **Nel** , both Pawns, had thought to do was to pay a visit to the Evil God, stating that they had never seen one. Without realizing it, every girl of the peerage, with the exception of Riser's new otherworldly Queen and one of his bishops, ended up following the annoying pair.

And now, Xuelan found herself inside the group that surrounded the silent deity, which surprisingly remained unperturbed by the ruckus around him.

The knight **Karlamine** and other rook **Isabela** , took a seat in both chairs in front of the God. One looked at him with a heavy blush while the other was examining him with a feral smirk. It was the first time Xuelan saw Karlamine with that dumb face… it was sorta funny.

"Honourable God!" The knight began, gulping before resuming her speech. "It's a great pleasure to meet a being that far exceeds us all. I would like to have your blessing!"

Xuelan's black hair, tied into two Chinese-style buns at both sides of her head bounced slightly as she was startled by the unexpected response that Karlamine received. What did the God do? He spared a glance at the knight and nodded to her slowly, as if giving Karlamine his blessing. No one expected that at all.

Xuelan raised a hand in surprise over her opened dark blue qipao with gold accents, which showed an imposing cleavage with a white sash around her stomach to maintain her outfit in place.

"Thank you, honourable God!" The brown-haired girl that wore an odd armour beamed. "Thank you! I will be able to fight for my master without any fear or regrets!"

"Cut it out, Karlamine! He probably only did it to shut you up!" The Rook with orange hair and strange clothing growled.

Riser's other knight stood between both arguing women and glared at both of them. **Siris** was someone Xuelan would never make angry as she was really scary. While Karlamine was faster than her, each blow that Siris delivered was twice as stronger. She often punished those that started a fight inside the peerage without controlling her brutal strength.

For all Xuelan knew, Siris would have been a good rook due to her abnormal strength.

The rook and knight remained silent, while the other pawns continued to observe the God that simply resumed his reading, seemingly unaffected by the heated discussion from before.

"I better leave before anything happens," **Marion** , a pawn, said as she walked away, followed by two girls with cat ears. "Ni, Li, come with me."

"Alright-nya!" **Li** replied as she and **Ni** followed the other leaving pawn.

"I will leave, too. I have seen enough," Another pawn called **Burent** said and grabbed both green-haired girls by their hands, taking them out with her. "C'mon! Let's go!"

Ile and Nel could do nothing but let out shouts of protest as both were dragged by the Devil that looked like a maid. Soon, the pawn **Shuriya** simply followed after them.

"We disturbed the God enough," Riser's bishop, a black-haired girl that wore a purple kimono called **Mihae** , exclaimed with stoic eyes as Siris made both Karlamine and Isabella stand from their seats and walk to the entrance. "Sorry for the inconvenience, Grayfia-san. We never intended to cause a commotion inside the palace, much less disturb your important guest."

The Gremory maid responded in kind with a bow and a smile.

After that, the bishop, the two knights and the rook left the room, only remaining two girls from the peerage of Riser, Xuelan and the last pawn of the group, **Mira** , a blue-haired girl that wore a white coat under a white haori with a red sash around her hip.

"Mira?" Xuelan addressed the petite girl. "Why are you staying? We better return to Lord Riser's side. He gave us permission to wander around but he may need us by now."

"That annoying Queen is with him… and also Ravel-sama, so he must be fine."

"You think…?" The china girl folded her arms, tilting her head. "And you want to stay here?"

"Yes…" Was Mira's soft reply. "Also…" Her eyes were directed to the silent God. "I want to ask him something."

Xuelan had to admit that would be a bold thing to do, to even dare to direct a word to an intimidating evil God that could kill them at a moment's notice. Although, she was curious as to what her friend wanted to ask… at least Grayfia was present in the room, so they were safe… she hoped.

Mira gave some shy steps and took a seat at the Oni's side. The white-haired man gave no response to her action as if he hadn't noticed her, or maybe didn't really care… Xuelan could tell that the God before them was cold and showed zero emotions.

"G-God-sama!" She began, "P-please, I want t-to k-know something…" No response came from him, yet she still continued. "I-I want to know… how d-does it feel to be acknowledged as a p-powerful being…? How does it f-feel to be a mighty God…?"

Xuelan blinked in shock while Mira kept an awfully expectant gaze on the evil God. The rook could understand her reasons for asking such a question as Mira was considered to be the weakest inside the peerage of her master, and the little girl never said a thing about it. Not even the tiniest complain or whine came from her. She usually only trained until exhaustion almost every day to improve and become a better servant to Riser Phoenix.

"Mira…" The young Chinese woman dropped her gaze, unavoidably feeling pity for the girl. "That really hurt you, didn't it? When Lord Riser told us that you were the weakest, it really affected you, didn't it?"

Mira locked her gaze on the God, her teary eyes did not even blink. She just waited for an answer, but Xuelan knew that was useless. It was not surprising really, that white-haired man was called evil for a reason, even if he was a God. The sobbing and suffering of anyone probably meant nothing to him.

The Evil God could even find it funny.

"Power is nothing if you lack wisdom and courage," The God turned his head slightly at her, his face as serious as ever. "You were wise to choose me as the one that would answer that doubt, and courageous enough to dare to ask me that. The power you seek will come eventually now that you have those two virtues."

Both Devils were speechless, as none of them truly expected him to speak, but he did, and it brought a bright smile to the young pawn. He was not that cold apparently…

"I-I see…" Mira lowered her gaze, her eyes darting between her legs. "Power is not all… Those are remarkable words, which I will treasure…" She commented to herself. "I appreciate that God-sama used his time on hearing someone like myself… Thank you, God-sama!"

Xuelan's jaw almost dropped when the girl threw herself over the God and hugged him, yet he didn't react; his gaze remaining on the book in his hands. A short amount of time passed when Mira finally let go of him and wiped off the tears from her face. With that, the blue-haired girl smiled joyfully to the rook and left the room with happy steps.

The Maid of the Gremory clan had her eyes closed, sporting a stoic expression, which meant that even if something weird had just happened, she would not comment or do anything about it. How serious was that woman?

Unbelievable, yes. Xuelan could not believe what her friend did, or the lack of reaction the Evil God gave after receiving a hug from Mira. She came up with the most viable explanation to what she had just witnessed. The God probably didn't even notice the hug or gave it no mind. It was most likely the latter.

The rook of Riser shook her head. To think it was not going to help, much less when an unknown evil God was involved. There was simply no way to discern what he was thinking due to the emotionless expression he always carried.

"I'll return as well," Xuelan said to the maid, sparing a glance to the God. "My master probably needs me..."

The unexpected occurred.

"It's now my turn to ask something."

The Rook blinked, even the maid did. The God rested both elbows on the table; his crossed fingers hid his mouth. The china girl felt a chill spread through her body as she could feel a strong pressure suffocating her by just staring at his piercing eyes.

"Eh? W-w-what?"

"Were you human once?"

A confused expression arose in her face, gulping as her response came out weakly.

"Y-yes…"

The grave, yet young voice of the God resounded once more in the room.

"Was death a reason for your reincarnation as a Devil?" The young woman shook her head timidly. The God darkened his expression, white hair now hiding his sharp gaze. "Was it by your own will? To become a Devil that is…"

Xuelan frowned visibly, stepping back in uncertainty. The blue fire's illumination only made the powerful being look even darker… frightening… evil. In all her life as a Devil, she had seen many unbelievable things alongside her new partners, friends, and her master, Riser Phoenix; yet this was the first time she truly felt scared, her body did not respond at all.

The Oni rose from the chair, turning towards the panicking woman. Even Grayfia narrowed her gaze, preparing herself for the worst.

"There is nothing to fear but fear itself…"

Silence reigned in the room for several seconds, in which both women calmed down. Even when the deity's posture looked terribly intimidating, she could not sense any danger coming from the Godly being. Eventually, Riser's rook replied.

"Yes… Lord Riser offered me the chance to become stronger, so I can protect what I hold dear to me. I was powerless, naive and inexperienced before I met him, but now that I am at his side, I will achieve my dreams… and also become someone he can rely on. That is why I chose to become a Devil."

Xuelan was loyal to her master, no matter what he asked or needed, she would give it to him. Whether it was her life, or her body, she would. Not just because she was in love with him, but to repay him for the opportunity he gave her. The chance to become strong and defend her dreams.

She was truly grateful to Riser Phoenix.

So as expected, the God observed her in silence, his dark expression hardening slightly as he apparently mused about her reply. His sudden questions were noticeably odd, as if he was investigating something, which was…? Devils? Riser Phoenix? Her?

"Are you more happy being a Devil than a human?"

Xuelan didn't really have to think as she was totally sure of her answer.

"Yes, definitely."

 **Part 6**

Her eyes showed resolution and truth, traits that most gazes lacked upon facing the evil deity, but the girl remained surprisingly courageous, if only because she had unconditional respect and trust for her master. Her eyes were similar to the ones that Mira, the girl that had unexpectedly hugged him, sported before leaving.

Becoming a Devil was not a curse apparently, he realized it. The black-haired girl's response cleared that doubt, and even made him rethink his opinion about the race that had offered him an apparent helping hand.

Devil… but not evil.

Human servants that were reincarnated as Devils seemed to be pleased with their current lifestyles. That much he noticed when living inside the palace. No one complained, quite the contrary in fact, as most reincarnated Devils looked happy. It was quite complicated.

Maybe becoming a Devil destroyed one's will? The desire to leave the master or to resist it, yet that thinking was discarded as humans chose to live as Devils for their own greed, whether it was to stop themselves from being weak or to accomplish their selfish goals.

The girl in front of him was the proof of that.

"Are you sure?" Oni Link took a menacing step forward. "Would you die in this very moment in the name of your master?"

The girl with odd buns became literally blue, stepping back in clear terror. White sharp eyes were focused on her, tightening slightly as he leaned towards the servant of Riser Phoenix. The maid, seeing this, made no apparent move, yet her aura began to exude danger, as if she was preparing to engage at him at any moment.

While Grayfia's capabilities as a combatant still remained unknown to him, he had heard that she was called the **Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation** and the **Strongest Queen** , servant of Sirzechs Lucifer.

Queens were supposed to be the strongest pieces, not only in the chess game, but also as an evil piece, which granted the Devil several enhancements in speed, resistance, strength and magic power. She could be a mighty opponent worthy of notice.

The Oni's musings were interrupted by the voice of a new individual inside the library.

"Of course she would die for me, that's why I trust her."

The voice resounded in the larger library. A male voice, which held a confident undertone. The Fierce God looked over his shoulder at the source, his face as expressionless as usual. Just a couple of meters away stood a small group, his expression hardening upon seeing them.

Rias Gremory was frowning, Himejima Akeno always carrying that startling smile, and in the middle, a tall man with short blonde hair and blue eyes observed him with amusement. The peerage of Riser was gathered behind the trio, with a new face among them. A girl with blond hair tied into twin-tails with large, drill-like curls, who sported a pink dress.

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Song 03

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Fierce Deity's eyes fell on the confident Devil.

The man used a white dress shirt under a reddish opened blazer with matching pants; part of his chest was visible as the shirt was not fully buttoned. His face sported an arrogant smirk, his stance showed fearlessness. Link could already imagine who he was.

"Lord Riser!" The girl called Xuelan cried out in surprise.

Riser Phoenix, next head of the Phoenix clan, glanced at his servant with kind eyes, as if he was trying to calm her down before directing his attention back to the evil God.

"I could be mistaken, God," The Devil neared him, his hands inside his pockets. "But are you threatening my lovely servant?"

While the God indeed wanted to intimidate her, he only did so to test her resolve. Oni Link could be mistaken, but he felt a hostile undertone in the Phoenix heir directed at him, so he responded in kind.

"What if I am?" Turquoise energy began to gather around the God, creating a heavy atmosphere in the room. "Are you going to do something about it?" The Oni challenged with a cold grave tone. The mask's influence was slowly but surely altering his mind, as he already felt inclined to crush Riser due to his slightly evil aura.

On the other side, the blond man stiffened his posture and observed the God carefully. Riser's smirk was gone, now replaced by a serious expression, while the rest looked quite tense, though Rias was face palming and Akeno was smiling as always. Silence reigned the room for several minutes. Eventually, Grayfia spoke, standing between the Phoenix and the Ogre as some sort of mediator.

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Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Picture 02

* * *

"I am sure that we wouldn't want to start a scuffle for such senseless reasons..." Without warning, the maid's presence became dark and mighty as she glared at Riser, who visibly flinched before quickly regaining his composure while the Oni God remained unimpressed. "Not to mention that the name of the Phoenix clan could get tarnished if people heard that Lord Riser attacked a God who was currently a guest inside the Gremory Manor."

The Fierce Deity took note of the fear Riser showed for mere seconds. If the man in front of him was the next heir of one of the clans that represented the 72 pillars of their race, then it would obviously mean that he was a powerful being, Devil in this case. Yet, he was scared by the glare of the maid, ultimately proving that as the strongest queen, she was on a superior level.

She probably was a worthy opponent as the Demon Lord would be.

The energy surrounding the God faded and every person present relaxed.

"I agree..." Riser commented, a trail of sweat on his forehead, "I would rather avoid causing a mess inside my lovely Rias' home."

The Oni could tell the high-class Devil was just pretending to look brave and reasonable in front of the others, but his fear was there, buried under his burning aura. Link could sense the doubts creeping towards his apparent ego, which modified his stance as if wary of future danger.

"I assume you are all leaving..." The God crossed his arms, narrowing his gaze. "I have lost too much time with this nonsense."

"H-how dare you speak to us in such manner!?" The blond girl with twin tails fumed in indignation. "It doesn't concern us if you, mister, are a God. I will not tolerate this sort of disrespect directed at us!"

The maid stepped up to the angry girl, "Lady Ravel, please calm down. I'm positive that our guest meant no offense to you or anyone inside this room. His research was interrupted by us, so it's only normal that he would like to return to the task at hand."

"Miss Grayfia, he is practically kicking us out of the library! Who does he think he is!?"

And like that, the tantrum of Ravel continued, Akeno giggling in amusement as Rias couldn't help sighing. The redhead waited all this time for a ruckus to erupt due to the presence of the evil God residing inside the manor, and hell, it took longer than she had expected. Surprisingly, it was not caused by the God himself but by the peerage of her forced fiancé.

"Grayfia is right. We should return to the hall. Otou-sama must be waiting," Rias spun around, her crimson hair flowing beautifully as she neared the entrance. "Riser, I don't need you creating trouble inside my house. Refrain from picking a fight with every man and boy that comes near me," She stopped by the door, folding her arms. "If you continue to pester me, or our guest, I will break the engagement without any consideration."

Most members of the peerage of Riser waited for their master's order, which came in the form of a simple nod. The girls acknowledged it and left after Rias and her queen, Akeno, who were waiting outside the library. Little Mira followed the order hesitantly while Xuelan spared one last glance at the immobile God before leaving the room. The girl with twin tails stood by the side of the Phoenix's heir.

"Big brother..." Ravel called out weakly. "Are we really...?"

"If my lovely Rias desires this, then I can't oppose her will. Besides, we still have a pending dinner with Lord Gremory," Riser said casually, disregarding the dark presence, or at least pretending to. "Nero-chan is becoming impatient, too. She probably wants another rating game to show off again. That girl, really..."

The Phoenix Clan's heir chuckled while Ravel frowned. It was odd to her that Riser would allow such behaviour directed not only at his peerage, but at him as well, considering how proud her brother was. Maybe he was right about not wanting to cause trouble for his future wife. Yet, it annoyed her to no end. She had to admit though that behind the facade of indignation she displayed towards the unknown God, there was a sense of fear unlike anything she had felt before.

To her, there was simply something really, really wrong with the intimidating man with marks on his face. But it was not like she would show her true feelings, considering that she was not only a bishop of Riser Phoenix, but his little sister as well. With a name both had to carry proudly, showing fear was not an option.

"As you wish big brother..." Ravel finally accepted.

The bishop left the room and waited outside, leaving only the **Phoenix** , the **Ogre** , and the **maid** remaining in the library. Grayfia subtly glanced at both men as both glared at each other in silence... There was something more than met the eye between them apparently.

"Whatever reason you may have for residing here, I'm still going to warn you: Rias is mine and only mine," Riser growled, his confident face gone, replaced by a dark expression. "I am the Phoenix of myths. I am immortal, and I don't fear you, dark God. For the sake of my lovely fiancé, I'm gonna let your words be ignored, but hear me well. I will crush you if you stand in my way."

This moment would be one of the very few times that Grayfia would become surprised. After all, the Dark God smirked ferociously. In all the time she had known him, he had never shown any sort of facial expression besides the lingering emotionless face the God always sported, yet he had now this intimidating smile that had not only unsettled her, but also, one that had made Riser Phoenix flinch.

"When the times comes, Devil..." Oni Link said darkly and turned around, sitting back down to resume his reading.

Riser Phoenix felt like retorting, but the maid shook her head. Even if he said anything, it wouldn't make a difference now; however, the high class Devil walked to the entrance and couldn't stop himself from having the last word.

"Until we meet again, God."

 **Part 7**

Some days passed since the events inside the Gremory manor's library. Oddly enough, Link had managed to keep his true identity hidden from the Devils despite the continuous visits from the three members of Riser's peerage, Xuelan, Mira and Karlamine. Apparently, the reason for their troublesome visits was because Riser had ordered them to keep an eye on him.

While that should have remained a secret from the masked Hylian, the knight of Phoenix had revealed it to him because she apparently respected the God for... reasons he had yet to discover. Link admitted that she was a funny girl that showed a twisted sense of honour towards her master... and now him.

All they did was talk about local gossips, other Devils, and mostly, Riser Phoenix. It was hard to believe how the trio adored that man to an extent where they would allow him to kiss them, touch them... amongst other things. Even with the God present during their chatter, they would simply talk about how much they loved their master and such, though Xuelan in particular, looked a bit reluctant sometimes.

Of course, when Link wore the Oni's Mask, these kinds of things became unimportant and he never gave them further thought, as the mask simply dismissed such unnecessary thoughts from his mind.

A subject of interest eventually emerged during their conversations; one that seemed of importance inside the Devil Society.

The **Rating Games** , which happened to be a competition among Devils with a peerage, used to measure the power of a Devil that would ultimately reflect their social status in the Underworld. If one won more games, then one's status and popularity would increase among the Devils. That much he knew about it, and so far, the only subject of interest brought by them.

Having no choice but to withstand their frequents visits, the so-called evil God ignored them, but only until the little blue-haired pawn, Mira, suddenly asked him a question, one that by this point was important to address and Link hoped it would clear the matter once and for all.

"Are you really evil?"

While Mira had asked it, the other two looked as awfully expectant at the girl in question. The response to that inquiry came after several seconds.

"I'm only evil to those that are evil," Was his reply. He then resumed his reading.

Before anything more could be said, a magic circle appeared on the ground near the table, Sirzechs emerging from it alongside Grayfia.

"He certainly is not," The Satan said, walking towards them. The girls instantly stood up and knelt before the Demon Lord, but he raised a hand to stop them. "Don't worry, return to your seats please," He took a chair in front of the God while the silver-haired maid stood behind him. "So as I was saying, his powers are not holy, yet divine. Not demonic, yet dark. He is a God, but not like the biblical God," Xuelan bowed, seeking permission to talk, "Yes?"

"Maou, ehrm..." She hesitated, but still voiced her inquiry. "Is he like the Norse Gods? Or one of them actually?"

Sirzechs eyed the white-haired man that had kept his attention on the large black book in his hands while disregarding even his presence in the room. It brought a tiny smile to his lips, yet he couldn't tell why. Maybe it was because someone didn't fear him or gave no regard to him as everyone else did, which honestly was a refreshing change.

"I couldn't tell before, but I contacted the chief of the Gods of Asgard, Odin," He explained in a way that was meant for unknown God. Their guest probably ignored the existence of other Gods like him... probably, "And he was certain that our notable guest was not one of their own."

Link engraved in his mind the information revealed. He hadn't read, at least not yet, much about other Gods existing besides the biblical one, yet he could recall a text in which had mentioned the **Nine worlds** of Norse Cosmology, one of them being **Asgard** where the main pantheon resided. Link hypothesized that these nine worlds probably existed in a dimension apart from the Underworld and Human World, but still inside this reality.

Time, world and dimension travelling was quite a complicated subject indeed.

"Then from where does he come from...?" Sirzechs asked to himself, six pair of eyes focused on him, "While we initially thought that he was a God of another mythology, I have used my influence and contacts to discern about his origins," The trio nodded, already knowing that the Demon Lord had offered the unknown God to help him recover his lost memories.

Link wondered why the Crimson Satan revealed his findings to the servants of another family, but realized that it was a show of loyalty and trust to the clan that would be united with them after Rias Gremory and Riser Phoenix had married. It was interesting, the way Sirzechs had chosen to explain to the God about his research whilst also informing the trio.

"He doesn't belong to neither the Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Greek, or Norse mythologies," The servants of Riser widened their eyes. "Not even from the Japanese, Irish or Chinese folklore. That's a given."

Xuelan, unlike Mira and Karlamine, was stunned by the revelation. This could only mean that the deity beside them was an unknown element to their reality that shared similar traits to certain Gods from their dimension. One time, Lord Phoenix had mentioned that beyond the boundaries of their reality, existed an endless quantity of worlds separated from each other by timelines and such.

Even after hearing the explanation, it did not make much sense to her.

"S-so he comes from an u-unknown religion or mythology, Maou?" Mira asked shyly.

Sirzechs glanced at the trio, but his eyes remained on Xuelan mostly. He noticed her different reaction, realizing that the rook may have been the only one that truly grasped the meaning of his speech. He was secretly impressed that she was not as naive as the other two were.

"In a way, yes..."

Xuelan knew his response was the truth. The mythological origin from the God was most likely unknown because he came from a different reality, which meant that they knew nothing about him. It was both frightening and incredible.

Xuelan and her two partners couldn't help staring in awe at the foreign being in question that far exceeded their comprehension.

"In conclusion, I can determine that our distinguished guest possesses dark powers, which are not of the fallen or Devil nature. Divine but not angelic," Sirzechs elaborated, as he had with her family some hours ago. "The only remaining question is... How can I attest that he is not evil if I have no knowledge of what he is? What proof do I have that he is not just waiting for the right moment to slaughter us all?"

Oni Link directed his gaze to the Crimson Satan, finally acknowledging his presence. Depending on what was going to be said, the fierce deity was ready to fight his way out of the palace should his cover had been blown. Even if they had treated him well thus far, his true form may not be as welcomed as the Godly form.

"Honestly, I have none," He drawled, smiling weakly as he now looked at him. "Yet, despite your dark presence and apparent cold personality, you have displayed good will towards my family. You accompanied my mother multiple times when she felt alone, even if no words were exchanged. You have followed my boy every time he left the manor to protect him by your own accord. Don't deny it, as I always keep an eye on him and I have always seen you around every time."

It was true. His research was solely interrupted when the naive son of the Demon Lord, **Millicas Gremory** , left the manor to play with his friends. Now that Grayfia had become some sort of personal maid to the God and she was always attentive to him, though it was just probably to keep him in check, Link, more exactly, the Fierce God, felt that he should at least watch over the kid, which happened to be the son of the strongest queen.

Lately, several rumours mentioned that noble young Devils were being kidnapped by an unknown faction.

Also, he had come to know that Devils like Lord Gremory and Riser Phoenix possessed these so-called **harems** , a term Link had heard in certain places which involved a sphere of women inside a polygamous household most of the time. An example was the peerage of the Phoenix third son, where almost every girl was attached to him romantically as the God had seen in the past few days.

What was more ridiculous was the fact that they approved of Riser having a romantic relationship with each one of them simultaneously. On a side note, Venelana revealed to him that she managed the harem of her own husband, which would have made Link drop his jaw in incredulity. Yet with the mask on, he disregarded the fact completely, but only until he removed the mask and his train of thought returned to normal.

"Not to mention how highly Ria-tan speaks of you..." Sirzechs glanced around before his gaze returned to the God. "I think we can stop calling you evil God, right?" The Demon Lord stood from the chair, giving some steps around the table were the group was gathered, "More fitting would be... Dark God, don't you agree?"

Mira nodded, Karlamine rose a fist upward in joy, all while Xuelan looked at the Dark God from the corner of her eye.

 _(Hmm... that sounds more appropriate.)_

 **Part 8**

"What do you intend to do by bringing me here, Devil?"

The Fierce Deity asked in suspicion to the Blue Satan, **Ajuka Beelzebub** , who stood by his side with a bored expression, both in front of a large monument in an unknown location inside the Demon Lord Castle. The former member of the **Astaroth** clan had green slicked hair, blue eyes, and wore a long robe, white on the torso and green on the lower half starting from the gold marks on the hip. Over it, he used a green cape that covered the entirety of his body.

The Blue Satan, also chief advisor of the Technology department of the Underworld, snorted, "You make it sound like I kidnapped you or something," He glanced at him and moved towards the monument. It resembled a majestic man holding a sceptre in the left hand and a book in the other, and finally, a crown rested over the head. "I have been doing some experiments lately and I will need your help this time," He turned to the dark God. "You see, I sensed something odd when we first met some days ago. Sirzechs told me you were a God, and your aura did emanated divinity, but of a dark origin."

Narrowing his white sharp eyes, the Ogre gave his attention to him, "I have heard that countless times," The God noticed a strange energy coming from the monument, but otherwise ignored it. "What is it now?"

"Straight to the point, are we?" Ajuka smirked, amused by his sharpness. "So be it," He motioned a hand towards the monument. "Please, touch the monument."

Oni Link darkened his gaze, trying to figure him out, "For what purpose?" He neared the monument and inspected it with keen eyes. "I sense something powerful coming from this statue... what is going to happen if I touch it?"

"Nothing should occur as you are not a Devil," Ajuka elaborated, looking unsure of his words. "Yet, my gut tells me there is something about you that doesn't piece together. This is just a test to confirm my doubts, and I hope you don't find aiding me troublesome."

Without further warning, the God put a hand on the monument's surface, a red light covering the big statue. Ajuka, startled, observed carefully the odd event that was occurring just before him. The God on the other side readied himself for battle should it be necessary.

The red light soon was absorbed by turquoise energy that came from the God, enveloping the entire monument for mere seconds before banishing. For a second, the fierce deity felt a surge of power emerging from his body, but it faded almost instantly. After the occurrence ended, Oni Link shot the Satan an inquisitive stare.

"Impossible..." Ajuka muttered quietly, "You have just been registered as a King..."

"Explain yourself Devil," The God's icy voice commanded.

Ajuka suspected something fishy about the unknown God as there was no knowledge whatsoever of him in any text recorded across history. No connection to any faction, mythology or religion. He was a divine deity, no doubt about that, yet, as one, there was no way that he should be able to become a Devil due to his status as a God. However, Sirzechs had discovered that the God could become a Devil using a large amount of different evil pieces, which to begin with Ajuka thought was impossible.

This dark God ignored the laws of the world for some reason.

This was the starting point to his suspicion towards the unknown entity. What kind of God could become a Devil? Even if they concluded that he came from a different dimension, not related to any of the existing worlds of this reality, that didn't change the fact that the evil pieces Ajuka Beelzebub created were incapable of reincarnating Gods, Buddhas and the Dragon God into Devils.

So the question that would most likely address and solve this matter was: Was he truly a God?

Despite the traits that proved he was a dark divine being, the sole reason on why Ajuka began to doubt was because the God showed that he was capable of reincarnating as a Devil. This would mean that he was not a God, then... what was he in truth? In that exact moment, realization hit him, the Blue Satan recalled something he haven't considered before.

"First, it seems your Godly power had distorted the magic of the monument I created," Ajuka replied offhandedly, examining any notable change in the large statue. "I made this Evil piece system to work with Devils, and only Devils, yet..." His attention shifted to the dark God. "With just touching it, the magical runes I put on it were altered, allowing yourself to be registered as King. I have never seen something like this."

"Call me weird, but I'm certainly not your usual Dark God. If altering your own magic with mine is worth of notice, then I'm not impressed," The Oni replied curtly. "Show me the moon and I'll give you something to think about for months..."

Ajuka changed his stance to one more worthy of a Devil of his calibre. The moon he mentioned... it made Ajuka think that maybe his dark powers were related to the moon as there was a crescent moon drawn over the God's chest armour. Did he draw power from Earth's only natural satellite? However, the blue Satan quickly discarded that assumption due to a simple reason.

They were in the Underworld, and the moon that floated in the sky was artificially created by magic in order to give reincarnated humans a sense of time. The God released a massive amount of energy according to Sirzechs when he faced a Devil from the Barbatos Clan, which proved that he didn't need the moon to gather his own powers.

"I would rather avoid any further demonstration of your Godly capabilities," Ajuka chuckled slightly, "As much as I would like to see them, there are more important matters at hand. Such as the reason on why you have become a King."

"You said that I altered the runes of the monument," The Oni growled. "Isn't that the reason?"

The Satan smirked, facing the God and raising a hand that subsequently emitted a blue glow. At the same time, an enormous magic circle surrounded them, causing the God to become wary. Before he could even blink, intense light covered his sight and was left with no option than to prepare for combat, the Double Helix sword materializing on his back.

The intense light faded, only to show him that they were not inside the Castle anymore.

The new place was a large rocky field, some mountains were visible at the distance and the sky was purple. This was Ajuka's own dimension, or a world created by him to develop and test his experiments and new technology, in case it was of a massive destructive nature.

The ground crumbled beneath the Ogre's feet, turquoise aura concentrating on the sword that he gripped with one hand. The Satan simply smiled, as if challenging him. The God had been transported to another location by work of the magic circle of Ajuka, who seemed to know more than he was letting on despite the surprise he sported before.

"This is not a trap, if that is what you are thinking," Ajuka spoke casually despite the aggressive stance of the God. "I can't allow anyone to witness what I'm going to say next as it would certainly compromise your safety and trust in the palace."

The Dark God gave no response, no change on his face or body, yet his aura was becoming stronger and expanding.

"All I want is to uncover the truth," Ajuka continued, unaffected by the growing pressure on his surroundings. "I can tell that you are lying to us. Even if Sirzechs cannot see it, I'm completely sure that you haven't lost your memories."

The Oni pulled the sword from his back and pointed it at him, a gust of wind created by his sudden movement.

"State your business, Devil."

Ajuka was not intimidated. To the contrary, he was fascinated. The sword threatening his life emanated massive pulses of divine energy. An abnormal amount of power was being concentrated in the weapon within mere seconds, which was unbelievable. Also, the shape of the sword was like nothing he had seen before, and while it didn't look like a holy sword, it certainly wasn't a demonic sword either.

It was as if the blade was created in the likeness of the wielder, as it even appeared to compliment the God perfectly.

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Song 04

* * *

"Then it's time to address my second point," With a severe expression, the green-haired man began. "The Runes have indeed been altered, but it was only a tiny, yet noticeable modification. The filter for only Devils have been changed to Devils and... Terminians."

Ajuka noticed a slight movement on the stance of the God upon the revelation. So far, it seemed that he was following the right trail.

"So I wonder, what is a Terminian?" Ajuka asked to himself, yet loudly enough for the dark God to hear. "Another race? Your race?" A brief glance was directed to the silent God as he gave some steps around. "That term is foreign without a doubt, confirming that you, nameless God, are a being from another reality. However, I can't assume that Terminian is a race, mythology or religion yet."

The Oni God tightened his piercing gaze. This Satan was different from the Demon Lord, he was too damn clever. Being transported to Ajuka's own dimension was not the real trap, but the King Monument itself, Oni Link realized as the altered runes revealed true information about the Fierce Deity's Mask. Despite saying that he'd never seen anything like it, the Blue Satan never showed any surprise on his features. The fact that Ajuka knew the word Terminian proved that he was close to finding the truth about Link's true nature.

"This doesn't change the fact that Gods can't become Devils. So I came with a possible explanation for this odd occurrence," Ajuka breathed deeply before turning to Oni Link. "Any being that is not a God or a Buddha can become a Devil, but the number of pieces needed to reincarnate one into a Devil changes depending on the power residing in the being in question," He folded his arms inside the cape as he elaborated. "Therefore, beings that wield great powers need more evil pieces in order to be reincarnated."

"Your point..." The grave voice of the Oni sounded menacingly.

"What if an individual managed to wield the power of a God through certain methods?" Ajuka put on a thoughtful expression, "I assume you have heard of the sacred gears, have you not?" There was no apparent response from the Dark God so he continued. "What if there was some sort of object that would grant you such abilities?"

The Blue Satan's broadmindedness was dangerous. How could he have thought about all of this? It was as if the man was solving a puzzle out of simple facts that were laws on this reality. It truly made sense, yet it was absurd that he came to this conclusion with so little information.

"For all I know, you could be a mere human using an object that made such possible, as if to become a God temporarily," Ajuka smiled evilly. "What say you?"

The Fierce Deity darkened his gaze and without further warning, unleashed a large pulse of turquoise energy with a slash, which travelled at an absurd speed towards the Satan. The ground split wide open as the projectile advanced, but Ajuka was prepared for it.

Summoning a green magic barrier, the pure-blooded Devil waited until dark divine magic crashed with his defensive spell. A massive sonic pulse was created upon impact, making Ajuka jump back to regain his balance, amazed by the sheer power of the God's attack.

Ajuka stood still, widening his eyes in shock as he soon realized a presence. The God stood in all its fierce glory behind him with a dark expression as he raised a hand to him. Turquoise fire exploded in the area before the God, but it did not graze the Devil as he had teleported to a safe spot.

"Pretty sensitive, aren't you?" Ajuka joked, "You don't have to resort to violence. I won't reveal my findings to anyone, unless you prove to be an enemy to us Devils."

Turquoise crystal walls appeared at every side of the Blue Satan, and began to encase him inside. The dark God approached the crystal prison and touched the frontal wall, "Then I'm going to need some answers."

"Go ahead… It's not like I can go anywhere," Ajuka replied, amazed by the spell trapping him. Every wall emanated incredible power, thus an effort on his part would be needed in order to break it despite his rank as a Satan. "Just one thing I need to clear. I'm NOT your enemy."

"I will reach my own conclusions, Devil, when we are done."

"So be it."

Ajuka Beelzebub had discovered everything in mere seconds, leaving Link, or Oni Link, with only two options. One, kill the bastard that could uncover his true identity, or two, see what he had to say and possibly trust him, but the latter required a bit of investigating first.

Link was not a man that would kill without considering the consequences, nor a man that sought the easiest way to handle an evil person, whatever their race was. Nevertheless, he had learnt the hard way that sometimes such was necessary for the greater good and safety of innocent people. Not only was this dimension at stake, but all others.

Ajuka Beelzebub was proving to be evil, and possibly an obstacle to his quest. Maybe it was because of the mask's darkness, but the thought of splitting his face in two seemed to be the righteous course of action to take. The interrogation came first though.

"Can humans arrive to the Underworld?"

"That's an easy one," Ajuka chuckled. "It depends," He crossed his arms. "Normal humans that are unaware of the supernatural can't by any means reach the Underworld, while those with sacred gears and also those that are affiliated with another faction may come here but are treated as part of their own," He blinked upon recalling something. "Oh, I was forgetting about magicians…"

"Humans that are not servants of any Devil could be considered hostile by your kind?"

Ajuka frowned, "We don't consider them our enemies because as you probably know by now, we depend on them. The Evil piece system I created works mostly with humans so we can replenish the number of Devils we lost in the Great War. We, Devils, also make contracts with them where we fulfil their wishes in exchange for their soul."

The Oni raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"It's not what you think. We only say that to see if the human's greed is high enough for us to make contracts with them. Contracting is more of a tradition if anything else. We may also earn points by contracting humans with great power inside their society and improve our ranking."

"Something that you don't have to do because you already are an ultimate-class Devil, isn't it?" Ajuka shrugged his shoulders, "What about the humans that serve the church and the fallen?"

"They are our enemies, but the last thing we need is another war breaking out," Ajuka responded, seriousness overing his face, "That is why the three factions try to control their people, humans or not, to avoid any sort of confrontation."

Politics, not only in the Realm of Hyrule were crucial to achieve stability amongst all races and kingdoms, but it was of great importance in other worlds, such as this one. After the Great War ended, the transient balance and peace between the three factions returned, but the state of conflict remained. Since then, the leaders of each faction had striven to avoid any incident that could cause new warfare from emerging by deliberately not interfering with one another's business.

"What about…" The prison surrounding Ajuka was dispelled, yet more crystal walls appeared, this time covering both of them. A decision had been made in that exact moment as the Dark God raised a hand to his own face.

Ajuka Beelzebub had seen many things in his long life as a Devil and Satan, his hobby as a researcher had taken him to explore and discover new definitions of life, the existence of unbelievable beings and magical objects no one had ever imagined. He had witnessed rare phenomena and the impossible that certain beings were capable of doing, but in the end, it would be in this moment that he would become truly shocked after so many years despite that he had already figured out the truth behind the otherworldly God.

A blue aura appeared on the face of the God as his right hand seemed to… pull out his own face? The turquoise crystal walls became blue, light covered the God's body briefly until it died down, revealing to Ajuka a new figure; a green-clad blond-haired man that held in his right hand the face of the Dark God that had lived with the Gremory for more than two weeks.

"…What about me? Am I an enemy to you, Devils?" Link asked with a sharp tone, smirking.

"So it was as I expected, you are not truly a God but someone that uses the power of one…" The Blue Satan observed the item on the blonde's hand. "A Mask…? The power of a God resides in it, unbelievable…"

Was this some sort of Sacred Gear? No, rare sacred gears granted inconceivable power to their wielders, some to the point that even the whole human world could be destroyed by them, yet none reached Godly capabilities such as the one displayed to the Satan just some minutes ago.

"I assume that your lack of memories was indeed a lie," Ajuka spoke; his voice had an edge Link could easily sense. "Who are you?"

"The name is Link," He answered. "The God did not lie when he said that he was not from this dimension, nor am I…" The man in green adjusted one of his finger-less gloves. "…and yes, I guess I lied about that," Chuckling, he admitted without a care in the world. "What are you going to do about it?"

Ajuka noticed his pointed ears, concluding that he was not a human. The God displayed big canines, yet the current form had normal teeth, so he couldn't be a vampire either. Then what the hell was he?

"Nothing for now…" Was his short reply, "Let's chat a bit more...?" The Devil clapped both hands twice as two chairs suddenly popped out of the ground, one in front of the other, "Have a seat."

Raising an eyebrow, Link reluctantly sat on the comfy chair, similar to the ones in the Gremory Manor. He expected another reaction from the Satan, yet he simply wanted to talk after such a revelation? The Devil had this odd aura that made Link feel uneasy, and it became more noticeable now that he was out of the mask's influence. He had to be very careful.

"You are not a God, so are you a vampire?" Ajuka sought confirmation before proceeding with his main inquiries. The blonde shook his head in response. "Are you a human then?"

"That's a complicated question, considering that both of us may have different definitions of human," Link put on a thoughtful expression, resting his back on the furniture. "In my book, human is called to the being that looks like a human, whether we show different traits on our anatomy."

"In those traits are included pointed-ears?"

The otherworldly traveller put a hand on his chin, musing in silence for a bit, "Yes… my race is called Hylian, my birth country is called Hyrule," Link revealed, noticing the obvious interest on the Satan. "Those who are not related, or have no connection to the Goddess of our world have round ears, such as you. However, we are still considered humans despite our physical differences."

"So every… Hylian…" Link nodded in approval at the words of the Satan,"…has pointed ears?" Another nod came as a response, "I see…" Ajuka muttered. "You mentioned a Goddess, is it related to the dark God?"

"Hylia, founder of my Kingdom, has no connection to the deity residing in the mask," Link explained, not feeling the least afraid of revealing information of his world for some reason. "In fact, the God you have seen comes from a parallel world to my own."

If the Devil was confused before, then now he was totally lost. Link could see it on his face as the Satan tried to put all the pieces together, resulting in failure. That didn't matter though.

"I'm a traveller, and certain circumstances have led me here. I have a quest to accomplish in this reality, given that if I fail, not only this world will perish, but also mine," Ajuka was about to speak, yet Link continued. "I mean no harm to your people; on the contrary, I want to help you."

"Why not show to us your true self?"

"I was not sure if my current form would be welcomed by your kind. That's the reason I used the Fierce Deity Mask in my possession to not only defeat the Devil of Barbaros, but to conceal my true form," Link rested his arms over his legs. "I didn't plan it though, as I originally only thought of using the God's power to defeat Kasgor, but the reactions that your fellow Devils displayed to me made me rethink my situation. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was a Dark God under the protection of the Gremory clan."

Ajuka admitted it was a clever move, granted, he would have done the same if he was in his shoes. Being in a new world unknown to oneself, it was only logical that he would try to blend in to avoid trouble.

"So you came to save our world? From who exactly?"

"I can't really tell. He is a Warlock from a certain organization, who's trying to corrupt this reality, thus bringing chaos and destruction. How, I don't know," He confessed bitterly. "I don't even know what he looks like or where to find him."

"This is hard to believe…" Ajuka was a bit sceptical, "How did you end up in the Underworld?"

Link's demeanour was covered with boredom, "A Dragon that called itself Great Red sent me from the Dimensional gap to the Underworld, also acknowledging my task."

"…You met the True Dragon?" A shocked expression soon rose on the Devil's face, "Now that is something I wouldn't believe…" Ajuka lowered his gaze and gathered his thoughts. "Yet that convinced me that your words are true," He surprisingly conceded, "Not many people know about the True Dragon, yet you know its name despite that you don't belong here."

The blonde Hylian nodded, smiling, "Proof enough, isn't it?"

"In fact, yeah…"

 **Part 9**

An unknown amount of time had passed since both the Hylian and Devil began their discussion, both learning quite a bit of their respective races. Ajuka had explained all about Gods and other divine beings that existed in this reality, the importance of the sacred gears, their types and origins. History events of great relevance had been further elaborated with the purpose of making Link understand the delicate balance between the three factions.

The green-haired Devil stated that in a book created by the Angel's followers were recorded important passages of the Great War's past called the **Bible**. As Devils, they couldn't lay a finger on any of these texts due to the holiness that was imbued in them, which was hurtful to not only their kind but also to the Fallens. This was the reason Ajuka couldn't inform him much of the Angels and Fallen Angels. Also, the Bible held the teachings of the Biblical God.

Link also learnt from him how the Evil piece system worked, the advantages it brought to Devils, the abilities granted by each kind of piece, in all, the Satan explained how Devils gathered servants and increased their peerage.

Another subject that was addressed was how Rating Games worked, their rules and specifications, the ranking system of the Underworld and the advantages that brought the game to the participating Devils.

For his part, Link told Ajuka about his homeland, the Goddesses of his world, about the Lost Woods that held countless entrances to other realities, about the Conclave of Dimentia and the quest bestowed to him. Link omitted details such as who he was inside his world, only stating that he was a traveller that searched for magical artefacts, like a treasure hunter of sorts.

Ajuka asked many questions about the Dark God's mask, and Link revealed to him everything he knew about it, which honestly was little. However, the Hero omitted certain facts such as how he obtained it, where he had gotten it, and most importantly, Link did not mention the Majora's Mask.

To be more concise, Link had only told Ajuka about his world, but barely anything about himself, as the Devil or anyone else could use that information against him. After all, discretion was the better part of valour.

As of now, there was one more matter to be addressed before proceeding to the next course of action. An inquiry made by Link to the Blue Satan that would decide the PATH that would lead him to accomplish his destiny.

"What is going to happen now that you know the truth?"

Ajuka did not respond immediately, in fact, he took several seconds to reply. The green-haired Devil relaxed his body over the chair, examining the stoic man sitting in the chair in front of him. By all means, the otherworldly traveller was good, his aura exuded that. Ajuka could sense a heroic spirit on the blonde Hylian, a brave one, whose eyes never showed fear and doubt, whose body language displayed confidence and determination.

The man in front of him was a **Hero** , and while he did not reveal much about his persona, Ajuka knew he was an experienced and smart warrior that had survived many hardships in his life. The sole reason of adventuring into a reality not his own with the goal of stopping a great catastrophe that would befall on all existing dimensions was the indisputable proof that he was beyond being a mere human or Hylian.

Link was a force of pure good, so Ajuka decided that he would trust and aid the traveller in any way he could. Not just because he wanted to save all the worlds, but to show him that Devils could be trusted by humans. He had noticed during their chat that Link displayed distrust to all Devils inside the Gremory Palace, despite living with them for more than two weeks.

"I will do nothing," Ajuka began. "You are a Dark God that resides temporarily in the Gremory household," The Devil answered with conviction. "I will not reveal any word of this conversation to anyone, unless you tell me to. This is the promise I make in the name of my former clan, Astaroth, and in the name of my current title of Satan, Beelzebub."

"Thank you," Link nodded to him, rising from the chair. "Then we have a deal."

"Yes, we have a deal," Ajuka stood up as well and offered him a hand, which was accepted. "This will be the beginning of our partnership, Mister Link. I will use all of my resources should you require any assistance. I do hope we manage to find Dimentia's Warlock and stop him before it's too late."

The Hero of Time smirked.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

After returning to the room where the King statue was located, not before Link put the Ogre mask back on, the Blue Satan had informed him that Link would only be able to use the Evil Piece system while he was transformed into the Avatar of the Dark God. Ajuka also offered him the chessboard with fourteen pieces, which Link tried to reject, but upon insistence of the Devil, Link accepted reluctantly.

"Listen Ajuka, I'm not planning on creating any ties inside this reality with anyone or have servants. I will only keep these pieces under my care until my task is done," The Oni spoke sharply, covering all the pieces with Nayru's Love spell, enhanced by the dark powers of the mask.

"I knew you would say that, but have this in mind. These pieces can bring people back to life," Link recalled reading something like that some days ago. Ajuka added, "I'm not telling you to have a peerage as you seem to be a solo player, but having people to support you is always a good thing to have."

"I will not consider it."

Ajuka could only chuckle at the God's blunt response, wondering if Link would have said the same. There was a high contrast between the Hero and Dark God, as one seemed to be a kind, brave and composed man while the God was emotionless, intimidating and deathly. It should be mentioned that the Satan sensed holy divine energy coming from his true form.

"I will leave the Underworld," The Oni God said suddenly. "I have learnt enough from this place."

"Somehow I expected that," Ajuka commented, observing the King statue. "Are you going to say good-bye? I heard you have captured the interest of many female Devils inside the palace, such as the maids that cook for you, some of the servants of Riser Phoenix… I even heard that Venelana and Grayfia have taken a liking to you."

"They serve no purpose in my quest, so that's irrelevant."

"As cold as ice," Ajuka commented playfully. "You are kind of similar to Serafall when she is extremely angry," The Oni noticed Ajuka's nervous expression as he muttered. "I hope I never have to see her like that again."

"You mean the Pink Satan, Serafall Leviathan?" The God inquired, recalling that she was considered the **ultimate female Devil**.

Ajuka blinked, regaining his dignified stance, "Yes, but let's forget about that. I assume you have some preparations to make before departing, yes?"

"Indeed… I will depart in four days," With that, a new magic circle was formed beneath them, both disappearing from the Demon Lord Castle.

 **Part 10**

Today, many high-class Devils were gathered in the Gremory manor for the celebration of Millicas Gremory's birthday. The party organized by Grayfia was held in the palace to not only celebrate her son, but also for political reasons. It was to maintain contact with the other Devil clans.

As expected of a high-class social gathering, every guest was dressed formally.

Riser Phoenix and his peerage were present along with Sairaorg Bael, **Seekvaira Agares** , **Diodora Astaroth** and many other high-class Devils from the remaining 72 pillars. The Oni could sense various powerful auras around him, determining which Devil seemed dangerous enough for him to destroy should any of them show evilness.

Most guests from the party, if not all of them, displayed noticeable interest in the Dark God of unknown origins by introducing themselves to him—at least those that were bold or brave enough. Glances, stares, chatter and mutterings, all were simply ignored as the Dark God waited imperiously for the exact moment to make his announcement.

There was also the group of servants that cleaned Link's room every day and delivered him dinner when he was not called to eat with the Gremory family members. They were attentive of anything the God would desire.

Ajuka observed with interest every Devil that had met the God personally, noticing some expressions he never expected to see on some faces. To start with, by his side was **Serafall Leviathan** , the **Pink Satan** and former heiress of the **Sitri Clan** , who looked at the God as some sort of Rival for reasons he could not fathom. **Sona Sitri** , her younger sister, tried to ignore the Pink Satan's absurd expressions.

Venelana Gremory glanced often at the God as her daughter Rias did, while Grayfia, ever the stoic maid, spared him a glance from time to time as if to keep him in check. Himejima Akeno only giggled at seeing her master and close friend, while **Ravel Phoenix** kept a solid continuous glare on the God, unaffected by his imposing presence.

The Blue Satan could sense a spark of defiance from Riser, who looked somewhat disgusted. Ogre and Phoenix every now and then exchanged fiery glances as Ajuka could remember that both had a minor quarrel because the Dark God apparently threatened one of Riser's servants. Now that Ajuka thought of it, he had forgotten to ask him about that incident.

Lord Gremory had finally ended his conversation with Lord Phoenix, walking to the middle of the hall, his hand holding a cup filled with top-quality wine. He raised the chalice upward to call the attention of every guest. The crimson-haired Devil observed the gathered guests as he motioned little Millicas to approach him.

"We are here today, as you all may know, to celebrate the birth of a magnificent boy. Son of the Demon Lord of the Underworld, Millicas Gremory," Applause of praise erupted in the room, only ending after a minute. "C'mon my boy, don't be afraid."

The shy boy with short crimson hair stepped up and spoke, "Thank you everyone for assisting and coming to my party. It makes me happy!" The cuteness displayed by the boy earned him more shouts of praise, mostly from the women, "I hope you all enjoy the food and drinks while having some quality time with us, the Gremory."

Serafall, who wore a stunning black dress that combined well with her black tied hair into twin tails, raised a hand with her cup of wine cheerfully to the air. "Cheers for my dear Millicas! Because he will become a prince worthy to be one of the 72 pillars! Which by the way I think he already is! Soooooooo cute!"

Every Devil in the hall responded to the Pink Satan's acclaim, raising their cups upward to show their gratitude to the young Devil. Sirzechs Lucifer soon neared his son and added.

"Cheers for Millicas Gremory!"

"Cheers!"

After that, the real celebration began.

 **Part 11**

After being greeted by Sairaorg and having an interesting conversation with him, Oni Link headed towards the balcony outside the hall to get away from the noise and continuous gazes on his persona. He wasn't really bothered by the people, but solitude was always welcomed by the God.

The double white doors were opened as the Fierce Deity kept his white eyes on the green sky, eventually glancing over his shoulder. It was the heiress of the clan that had welcomed him, Rias Gremory.

The beautiful crimson-haired young woman that sported a bold, yet elegant red dress, approached the God's side with uncertainty, "Some time for yourself, I assume," The God nodded slowly, his eyes focused on the panorama that showed part of the Gremory territory. "It's been a long time since we last talked, or more like I talked and you only listened…"

No response came as she expected, though it brought a smile to her lips. During the short time the God had spent with them, she had learnt that despite his cold nature, he only meant good for her and her family. The few times a problem emerged inside the Gremory territory regarding a stray or troublesome Devil, the Dark God volunteered to handle it as a way of repaying their kindness.

Actually, the God never said such but Rias believed it was that, it had to be since there couldn't be another reason for him to help them take care of those troubles. She had even noticed that he always watched over her nephew Millicas whenever he left the castle as some sort of bodyguard. She couldn't tell how the God discovered Millicas left the manor, but he was always there, protecting him. That aside, her mother seemed to trust him, too.

"I do hope you are not bothered by what happened with my…" Rias seemed doubtful for a second, "Fiancé…"

"I'm not."

She was taken aback by his quick reply, blinking as she shook her head to regain her composure. It was rare that he would say anything to her; she could swear that she had heard him talk a very small number of times since his arrival to the Manor.

"I see…" She tilted her head a bit, eyeing him, "Ajuka told us you became a king despite your status as a God. Always doing the impossible, aren't you?" She giggled, resting her arms over the balcony's baluster, "Trying to become my rival?"

The Oni raised an eyebrow, "I don't see why becoming a King means that for you," His sharp eyes were directed at the fist he made with the left hand, "And I'm not interested in gathering servants or earning reputation among Devils either."

Rias frowned, crossing her arms over her voluptuous chest, "…I know it was an experiment to discover your origins. Ajuka-sama is a close friend of onii-sama, so I think you shouldn't be concerned about accidentally becoming a King."

 _(Accidentally? Right…)_

Link also noted that Rias was one of the few people that used a different set of words to address people. Such was using 'onii-sama' instead of 'big brother', or adding certain suffixes to the names. He could understand every word though, even if it was in another language. Great Red had granted him the True Language after all, a magical spell that allowed him to speak in a language that anyone would understand, and he would also comprehend all existing idioms.

He heard that Rias and Akeno spoke with those words because they normally lived in a country of the Human World where such was normal. Venelana told him that the language they used those words from was called **Japanese**.

Rias' voice took him out of his musings, "Anyhow, I'm intrigued about how you modified the King Stat-"

"I will leave the Underworld tomorrow," The God faced the female Devil as he declared. "I will continue my search in the Human World."

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Song 05

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Rias was struck speechless; she couldn't even blink at the news. Without further warning, the God began to walk towards the double doors with the intention of returning to the party.

"No… You can't do that!" The girl protested, standing in front of the God as if to block his way, "I'm totally sure that you still have a lot to learn from us!"

The Fierce Deity stared at her blankly, unmoved by her desperate expression. He simply felt nothing, and her pleas were unimportant. His goal after all, was to explore the Human world to continue with his search, and the **Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess** was not part of his plans.

"You appear to have forgotten, Princess Gremory," His grave voice cut short whatever she was going to say. "I firmly stated that I would remain in the Manor as long as it was necessary."

"You have not recalled your memories if I'm not mistaken," Rias argued. "A God just can't roam the human lands without having a clear destination."

The next heir of the Gremory clan was doing her best to persuade the God, but his never changing face told her she was failing. She couldn't let that happen; the success of her plan was at stake.

Sirzechs informed them that 14 pieces were needed for her to reincarnate him, but if she was to become stronger, that number of pieces could be drastically reduced. Of course, that plan required a longer amount of time, but if she managed to convince the God to remain with them, it would be only a matter of time with her training with Grayfia being carried on. It increased her demonic power slowly, but surely it would pay off in the end.

Yet, her hopes and plans were simply shattered when the God spoke again.

"I will not become your servant, Princess Gremory," He stated with utter coldness and determination. "I will not bow down to you or anyone else, I will not become a Devil under any circumstances, and I will not remain here."

Rias Gremory stared at him in silence, stunned by his blunt statement. Even after he had lived with them, the God simply stated that he was going to leave to continue with his search. It hurt her that he didn't even look sad for his departure, it was as if he gave no importance to the time they had spent together. It was as though none of it meant a thing to him. She considered the God a friend, yet it seemed that their friendship was one-sided.

The God was heartless…

* * *

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 01 Section: Picture 03

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Walking to the double doors, the God came to a halt, "Do not misunderstand me, Princess Gremory. I value the kindness that you and your family have shown to me by receiving me in your palace. I will not forget it."

With that, the Fierce Deity silently left the balcony without even sparing the young woman a second glance. There was no need to.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

"So you want to explore the Human World? Is that the reason you are leaving the manor?"

Link, under the cover of the Dark God, nodded, ignoring the shocked expressions around him. After informing Sirzechs and Lord Gremory of his departure, it had become the hot topic across the guests in Millicas' party.

Comments such as 'No,' 'Our God is leaving,' 'It can't be…!' could be heard around the main hall, coming from the maids and servants that attended the God personally during his short stay.

"Yes," The Dark God replied, scanning the people that had crowded around him. "Humans are… interesting. There is a high chance that I may find what I need, whatever that is, in their world."

Venelana Gremory approached them, "Fierce-chan," She addressed the God with the ridiculous name she came up with when he accompanied her during their short travel to the Sitri's clan territory. "You are truly leaving?"

Fierce-chan, stupid name by the way, glanced at her, expressionless. "Indeed, I have been here enough, Lady Gremory. I mean no offense to you, but staying here any longer serves me no purpose."

The brown-haired woman frowned. It was a long time since she had a friend, having to use most of her free time to manage the harem of her husband. She never had time to attend to her own needs of having a friendship of her own; a true one.

After marrying the current head of the Gremory clan, Venelana left the House of Bael, abandoning her title as the strongest woman within her former household. So as a new Gremory, she became acquaintances with many Devils of her social status during the social meetings held in the Underworld, but honestly, none were true friendships to her.

However, while the God only remained silent those times when he accompanied her, he had listened to her stories with utter interest. He nodded occasionally, giving little 'hmms' and 'hmphs' at certain times. She had confided in him certain memories that not even her husband knew about. Most feared the intimidating demeanour of the God, but it made Venelana feel safe. She truly trusted the Dark God despite barely knowing anything about him.

And that friend was about to leave.

"I see…" The woman cracked a weak smile, a sad one, "If that is your wish, we can't do anything about it other than to support you."

Sirzechs narrowed his gaze, examining the odd reactions on his mother, but shrugged it off. The God had earned his respect and trust, even to the point that he now considered him a friend of his inner circle. The God once said that he admired the fortitude displayed by the members of the Gremory clan. Though his face showed nothing, those words truly hit Sirzechs.

A couple of times the Demon Lord had shared a cup of wine with him, trying to get to know the Dark Deity better. The second time even Lord Gremory joined them which became a day to remember. Both Devils ended up drunk, so the Fierce God, with the help of Grayfia, had taken them to their respective beds that night.

If the God had wanted to, he could have killed both of them, yet he called his queen to ask her where their rooms were located. It was amusing to see that both he and his father fell to the effects of the alcohol while the God was unaffected.

Back to the hall where Millicas' party was held, "We will settle our differences at another time then, nameless God."

The group turned to Riser Phoenix, who neared them accompanied by his rook Xuelan, his pawn Mira, and the last member of his peerage, whose name was still unknown to the God. The Fierce Deity's attention was directed to the new face, the so called otherworldly Queen, who apparently came from another reality, just like him.

Riser's Queen was a young woman of short stature that had golden hair and green eyes. She sported a military-styled red dress with a bold translucent portion in the front of the lower skirt.

"Beautiful…" She commented, observing the God with utmost interest as she leaned to him. "There is no doubt that you are a God. I can feel your overwhelming power. It's simply flawless."

The other Devils blinked at the words of praise from Riser's Queen to the Dark God. Even his master raised an eyebrow in disbelief, yet he knew that she was the kind of woman that would appreciate and love anything that she considered beautiful.

"Then allow me to make the presentations," Riser suddenly spoke with a dignified voice, earning odd looks from some people around him. "Nameless God, you have the honour of being in the grace of the most beautiful and wise Empress that ever existed."

The aforementioned woman smiled graciously, taking a glamorous stance as the Phoenix continued the presentation.

"Behold," He motioned a hand towards the blond girl, who took one majestic step towards the God, "The Empr…"

The God suddenly turned to his right as he sensed a powerful killing intent directed at him, which he would have ignored if it wasn't filled with hatred. There were many guests so Oni Link couldn't tell where such a deathly gaze originated from. The God stepped forward, scanning the area in order to find the suspect while the people around him were seemingly startled.

"Is he ignoring me?" Riser's Queen growled, "Praetor! Who does he think he is to ignore me? God or not, I will not tolerate such disrespect!" She puffed her cheeks, folding her arms in displeasure. "This God is inelegant, unrefined, and I don't find him beautiful anymore! Such disappointment! I thought of him as…"

Ajuka observed how Riser's Queen continued to repeat senseless prattle about beauty, elegance and perfection. The Blue Satan had never met such a haughty girl in all the years he had lived, yet he could tell that the woman hid an amazing intellect behind those superficial comments.

Ajuka could remember the rating game where this unknown girl popped out of nowhere and defeated all the servants of both participating Devils by herself, finally defeating **Yubelluna** , former Queen of the Lord Phoenix's third son. Upon seeing the might and grace of the unknown girl, Riser offered her to become his servant, which she rejected nonchalantly, stating that she would only serve someone who displayed the traits worth of being her Master.

Riser Phoenix saw this as an opportunity and faced her in combat. A battle that lasted seven hours ended abruptly when the girl dressed in red said that she was deeply impressed by his power. Ajuka chuckled when she said that Riser's fiery wings showed elegance and radiance, stating vigorously that he fought beautifully against her. Such an odd choice of words she used, really.

After Ajuka explained how the Evil piece system worked, she firmly stated that she would only accept Riser's offer if he made her his Queen, and only his Queen. Of course, Riser accepted her conditions, also claiming that great fame would come to them both if participating in the Rating Games, where everyone would be able to witness their perfection in battle.

Since then, Riser had won every Rating game with exceptional strategies and breath-taking showdowns, even the rating games he was supposed to lose on purpose for the best interest of his family's social status. Ajuka suspected that her influence on the Fire Devil made him disobey the order of his own parents for the sake of his Queen's pride.

"Is something wrong?" Sirzechs Lucifer asked to the Dark God, frowning as he did. "Something caught your interest?"

The Fierce Deity narrowed his eyes, the killing intent simply faded. Even if it lasted a mere second, it was enough time for him to call it trouble. Only someone evil could have sent such a gaze at him, yet, in this crowded hall, the God failed to identify who it belonged to.

"It's nothing," The white-haired God replied.

"Very well then," Lord Gremory spoke to the God after he returned to the group. Every guest looked somewhat uncomfortable after Riser's Queen complained about the God without a care in the world, ignoring everyone while his master just observed her with eyes of amusement. "Back to the matter at hand, I think that if you feel the need to leave my good friend, then you must do so by all means."

"I will prepare for my departure," The Oni glanced at the seemingly otherworldly girl. They said she came from another world, so he would have to find out the truth about her and how she managed to arrive from her own reality to this one... someday. "Until we meet again."

After that, the God walked away as more murmurs and chatter erupted among the guests, Riser's Queen assuming an offended expression with arms crossed. Xuelan and Mira watched with sad expressions as the God left, while Sona Sitri adjusted her lens, observing Rias, whose facial features displayed deception.

"I assume that your current mood was caused by the God's sudden take off," She said, worried about her rival. "He will not become your servant, am I correct?"

As Akeno approached them, Rias retorted. "I hate when you are so cunning," The crimson-haired girl grunted, walking past the heir of the Sitri clan. "I'm going to my room."

"Ara ara… It seems that our young Princess is building up a lot of stress lately," Akeno commented, unlike the other times, she showed concern for her King. "I wish Lana-chan was here to cheer her up a bit."

"Please don't mention that girl, she is a troublemaker," Sona said coldly, "We don't need that white witch ruining Millicas' party with her crazy magic."

Putting a hand to cover her mouth, the so called **Priestess of Thunder** giggled. "Lana-chan is Buchou's trusted bishop. She saved Koneko-chan and Tsubaki-san. We owe her."

The bespectacled girl with black hair that only reached her shoulders sighed, accepting her words. While Sona hated admitting it, she had to say that Rias Gremory's new bishop was a strong spell caster, who accepted living as a Devil to find her new purpose in life, and choosing to leave behind the life she had before. She was a noisy individual, a clumsy one too, that caused trouble to the Student Council of **Kuoh Academy** on a daily basis. Yet she had proven to be someone they could rely on, as her intentions were always good.

"I can't deny that, but I still don't like her," The Sitri heiress growled, folding her arms, her brows slightly twitching. "I'm always the one that has to put up with her usual noisiness and idiocy… Reminds me of my older sister…"

"Oh?" Akeno blinked. "Now that you mention it, they are very much alike."

"I'm never going to let those two meet," Sona Sitri stated darkly. "I would rather die than having to deal with them at the same time."

Akeno could not help letting out a giggle, which was followed by a sympathetic smile. "School is a lot more interesting with her around, don't you think? Fufufu… Lana-chan already has a fan club, too."

Sona suppressed a sigh as she left that subject aside from her mind, and glanced at the controversial Queen of Riser Phoenix. She was making a fuss with her Hellenistic speech again, surprisingly entertaining the crowd. Seeing her smile, Sona could tell that the blond girl was delighted to see her spectators in good spirits.

"As always, she is stealing all the attention, isn't she Sona-chan?"

To Sona's surprise, her older sister Serafall jumped happily to embrace her from behind. There she was again; not behaving like a Demon Lord should at all, which was a subject that brought the bespectacled girl many headaches.

"O-Onee-sama!" She spat in surprise, "We are in the middle of Millicas' party, so please refrain from acting like… you always do… at least for today…"

"But Sona-chan! I have to make the most of any moment we share!" The Pink Satan pouted, tightening her embrace. "Don't be cold to me, Sona-chaaaannnn!"

Akeno observed in amusement at both sisters and their antics. The usually calm and composed Sona was blushing, trying to adjust her lens, but failing due to the sweet Maou's affections. Seriously, Serafall was the only one that could unearth the cuteness of the strict heiress of the Sitri Household.

"Ara, ara…" The Gremory Queen smiled, "To think that Buchou lost the opportunity of seeing her rival blushing as heavily as this, I might take a picture. Fufufu…"

Some Devils around them laughed, others chuckled, deepening the blush that Sona sported despite the glare she was directing to Akeno. Soon, other Devils joined them as the lively party continued.

 **Part 12**

Link removed the Ogre's Mask after covering every wall of the huge bedroom given to him by Lord Gremory with Nayru's Love. Only then, the otherworldly warrior was sure that his cover as a Dark God would remain intact.

Link sighed as he let the mask fall on the spacious bed. He breathed deeply, his mind returning to his true self as certain thoughts that emerged on his mind due to the mask's influence faded away. He walked to the large closed window covered by his spell and observed the night sky.

"What a day…" The young man whispered to himself, eyes tired. "I'm leaving tomorrow, eh?"

Minutes elapsed as Link remained in the same spot observing the purple sky, thinking of the time he had lived in the Gremory Manor. He met plenty of people, some were interesting, others were weird, yet most of them were kind despite the name of their race.

However, Link felt no remorse for leaving them; no mixed feelings or sadness regarding his departure, no fondness for anyone… he simply felt nothing. The mask had drained all the feelings he should have obtained during his stay with them. It was as if he had memories that did not belong to him, and yet, he had experienced them himself.

Link could think and resonate normally when he wore the mask during the first hours, however, if more time passed without him removing it, his ideals would become twisted by the dark powers of the mask to one of simple logic: Destroy Evil mercilessly, no matter the cost and means. If Link did not pity his enemies, he would not hold back against them.

The Fierce Deity Mask was made to simply and effectively eradicate evil.

"I have to stop using it," Link glanced at the item on the bed. "I will stop using it…"

Before that though, he needed to get out of the Gremory's sight. The Human world would be the best place to erase his tracks, and also to start the search for his lost items while finding more clues about the Black Seeder's whereabouts.

The Hylian hero sat on the bed as he contemplated his next course of action, his gaze slowly darkening.

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 **Thanks for reading. Review and after that review again. It always good to know what people think.** **Any doubt, just PM me.**

 **\- Frank**


	3. Devils, Humans, Witches and Angels

**Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda, High School DxD and anything you probably will find familiar in this fic. Why you ask? The answer is quite simple. Life sucks dick. Ehem... now with that out of the way, let's get to business.**

 **Been a long time? Like... holy shit, it's been a whole year.**

 **Well, what can I say?**

 **Like anyone fucking cares I guess. Life, my other fic, a lot of investigation and stuff got in the way. Oh, Breath of the Wild too. You can't blame though, that game is fucking awesome. Give it a like for Zelda's booty.**

 **So, I'm here again, bringing another chapter of Link's sure-to-become badass adventure.**

 **Thanks to Nara257 for the beta work.**

 **Now, get comfy, get a drink of your choice... I would chose a cup of black coffee... and enjoy.**

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 **Path of Legends: Hero X Devil**

 **Life 2: Devils, Humans, Witches and Angels.**

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 **"THOU, BRavE TrAveLER, whO WiLL UnCOVer The lAwS oF HuManItY, Go FoRtH! FoR thOU SHaLt LeArN ThE WaYS Of FAiTh aNd ReLigIoN!"**

* * *

 **Part 1**

"So, are you ready?"

The Fierce Deity turned towards the Green Satan, Ajuka Beelzebub, who had just entered the library where the Dark God was accustomed on spending his time inside the Gremory Manor.

"Yes. I never brought anything with me in the first place, so I am ready," His cold tone resounded in the room, his gloved hand trailed across the surface of a book in the table. "I will only take this book with me."

Ajuka nodded, before fixating his gaze on the cover of the book, "The Great War? I believed you already studied that book." Looking at the dark god directly, he added, "If you don't mind me inquiring, why do you need it?"

The godly being in question narrowed his gaze, his white eyes, devoid of iris, scrutinizing the devil. Grasping the book, and raising it before his face, turquoise energy enveloped it, the object subsequently fading within the display of light.

"I mind."

There it was again, the sort of response Ajuka had become accustomed to in the few days he had spoken to him. Despite that he now knew the truth behind the guest of the Gremory Clan, the devil came to realize that the personality usually displayed by the god was not an act but truly the natural behaviour of the Hylian when he used the Fierce Deity Mask.

Being a scholar at heart, Ajuka had spent the whole previous night researching for any Sacred Gear that could be similar to the magical Mask. His efforts were an utter failure though, as none of them reached the capabilities to even match the dark god, not even the **Top-Tier Longinus**.

Gathering all the information that Link, who was the holder of the mask, provided, and also what the devil himself witnessed, allowed Ajuka to come to several conclusions about it.

To begin with, it not only granted Link the power of a mighty Dark God, but also altered his personality. It was honestly fascinating to Ajuka that this certain mask, which he first believed was a Sacred Gear, could transform the seemingly kind blond boy into a ruthless evil-slayer god.

Also, the fact that the Dark God had somehow managed to alter the runes of the King Statue inscribed by Ajuka himself showed that his unknown magic was far more complex than the green-haired devil could have imagined. Altering runes made by Ajuka specifically was no easy task, and the dark god's ability to do so showed that it's magic was not only powerful, but could also mold any sort of magic it came in contact with. It was worth mentioning that he still suspected there was more than what Link was letting on...

Ajuka folded his arms, focusing again on the present, "I see…" Lowering his head, and with eyes closed, he continued, "Either way, I would like to give you some recommendations… so you can handle yourself in Human World."

It wasn't like he wasn't ready. Link had carefully studied the world map and the human culture. Independent sovereign nations had claimed almost the entire world's land surface, which was divided in 6 large landmasses, called continents.

He was apparently going to **Japan** , an island nation located in the continent of **Asia**.

For what he had studied in many historical books that belonged to the Human World gathered by Grayfia herself for him to read, he had come to realize that his quest was going to be one hard to accomplish, and a long one as well.

It would be only normal to welcome any new information that could help him on his task. So, gazing back at Ajuka, the Fierce Deity nodded slowly. "Speak then, devil."

 **o-0-O-0-o**

Link, whose true form was hidden beneath the cover of the Fierce Deity Mask, observed his surroundings. Unlike other areas within the Underworld, this one seemed to hold advanced technology, which reminded him of a certain place during his last otherworldly adventures.

' _Piltover was it?_ '

Fierce Deity Link gazed at the large transportation machine, similar to the one he saw in a technological city some time ago. It was composed of large boxy long wagons, connected to one another, also having many wheels in each. Its design looked ceremonial though, as it was red and displayed across it several devil-representing patterns carved on it at acute angles.

Observing it further, Fierce Deity Link came to distinguish the symbol that represented the Gremory family, and even Sirzechs Lucifer's mark. They were windows in every wagon with the exception of the first one, which he considered the head. Unlike the others, it displayed a rather odd design, somehow resembling the head of a dragon due to the golden marks across it and its shape.

"So this is the so called 'train'…" The dark god muttered. While he still saw the odd machine as a spectacle to behold, the fact that there were so many of those "trains" lined up over some sort of metal roads directed at the outskirts of the Gremory territory made him realize that he was overreacting; not that while wearing the mask he was showing any emotion, anyway. It was only expected that other worlds would hold technology and magic he was unfamiliar with. This was, of course, the best part of adventuring into unknown lands: The discovery of new things.

So, within the vast area where he now found himself (He seemed to be over some sort of concrete platform located the east of the Gremory Territory), the Fierce Deity counted his last few minutes before his nearing take off from the Underworld.

Oni Link heard some steps behind him, so he turned around, as stoic as ever.

While many would have been utterly shocked at witnessing the unusual event of the entire Gremory family gathering outside their Manor to bid farewell to a guest, those that were aware of the relationships inside the Gremory House knew they were saying goodbye to a friend.

Lord Gremory approached him, accompanied by Venelana and Milicas. Behind them, Sirzechs and Sairaorg Bael stood. Grayfia Lucifuge had stayed behind with Rias, who looked very disappointed.

"Well, this is it huh?" Lord Gremory smirked, hands in his pockets as he spoke, "You're finally leaving," His smirk was replaced by a tiny smile, "I actually would have liked to have one more drinking match with you."

"Indeed! I have to admit that drinking with you and my father has become one of my favorite ways to spend my free time..." Sirzechs chuckled as he approached them. Before whispering, he leaned towards the god. "Don't ever tell Grayfia that, though."

Lord Gremory and Venelana laughed, while the young Milicas only seemed confused. The double doors of the train opened by themselves, showing the interior of the large vehicle. Venelana's expression suddenly darkened as she gazed at the train, and bit her lip.

"Fierce-chan," She started, "Despite the short time you lived with us, we truly consider you one of our own as not only you have protected my grandson, Milicas, but you always supported us…" She rested a hand over her chest, and opened her mouth, to only close it. She looked at the ground for a few seconds, both redheads at her sides blinking, "Thank you…"

The Fierce Deity nodded, observing the genuine smile on the woman with brown hair and purple eyes. He truly never spoke to her, yet she hadn't being anything but kind and thoughtful of him during his stay.

So he would remember her despite that he didn't feel anything, and when the day came, he would return the kindness and trust she bestowed upon him.

"I don't deserve such words, lady Gremory…" He spared a glance at the other devils before gazing at her again, crossing an arm over his chest, "I won't forget your hospitality. Rest assured that I will protect your family for as long as I remain in this world."

Venelana dropped her gaze. She knew what that meant, just like her daughter did. The Dark God only sought to regain his memories and most likely return to his world… which she assumed would be far away from the Gremory's reach.

"I have no doubt about that," Added Sirzechs, resting a hand over the god's shoulder. "You will be always welcomed in the Manor. Your room will remain untouched until you return."

A strong chuckle was heard, coming from Sairaorg, "Hahaha! We never had the chance to actually fight, god, but I'm positive that it will happen soon. Until then, I'll train as hard as I can! You better not slack off until I defeat you!"

The Fierce Deity silently nodded at him. Then, he noticed the youngest member of the Gremory family pulling his tunic, hopeful eyes staring at him. The god rested a hand over the child's head, acknowledging the young boy.

"I'm gonna miss you Fierce onii-sama!" Milicas said emotionally, hugging him.

However, the evil deity wasn't moved either by the tears of the boy. All he could do was to acknowledge them, responding with another nod of his head. Finally, Grayfia approached, Rias grudgingly following behind.

Despite that all of them used their usual clothing, Rias Gremory sported a white long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings, with a black ribbon on the collar, a black shoulder cape and a matching button-down corset. A magenta skirt with white accents completed her outfit.

"God-sama," Grayfia bowed to him, "It was an honor to serve you…" She smiled sincerely then, Milicas now hugging her, "While it was never an obligation, God-sama still watched over my son, and for that I'm forever grateful."

That said, the maid blinked, seeing Rias Gremory passing between the group and towards the gates of the train. The crimson-haired girl spared a short uninterested glance at the Fierce Deity, waving her long hair with a hand as she did so.

Oni Link stared blankly at her flowing hair for a couple of seconds until she completely left his sight when she entered the large train. He turned towards the group of devils, all of them looking rather anxious. Whatever the reason, the Dark God suspected he wasn't going to like it.

"What is the meaning of this?" He inquired with a severe tone.

Lord Gremory wasn't entirely sure of the reasons. Rias had started acting sort of strange since yesterday, leaving Milicas' party in a rush. While he had tried to talk with her, she had locked herself inside her bedroom. Being a teen and all, he knew it was one of those times when she needed some time alone, whatever the reason.

Sairaorg was also as clueless as ever.

The other devils though, exchanged glances, fully knowing the answer to his question.

"You see," Sirzechs started, glancing at his father and his mother. "Rias' vacations are coming to an end, so she decided to return to the Human world sooner so she could prepare for her classes."

"Are you referring to her School?" Fierce Deity Link inquired, arms folded and gaze narrowed, "If so, are we taking the same transport?"

"Yes!" Came a new voice from the sky.

Everyone looked up, seeing Himejima Akeno flying towards them, her bat-like wings allowing her to accomplish what Oni Link believed was impossible. He had to admit that becoming a devil and getting the ability to fly would be advantageous, but there was no way he would renounce to his humanity for that mere reason.

Landing gracefully before them, the Queen of Rias treaded towards the group, carrying her own bag. The fierce Deity could only assume she was coming as well as the purple-eyed girl also sported the same outfit he had seen on Rias. Oni Link concluded that set of clothes was a uniform of sorts, used to attend her educational facility.

"I'm sorry for my lateness, but Rias told me out of nowhere we were returning to Kuoh a couple of hours ago," She bowed to them respectfully, that odd smile plastered on her face as usual. "I hope you don't mind our company, God-sama."

The Dark God shook his head in response, Akeno's smile widening. He turned to the Demon Lord and his family, seeing Grayfia approaching with some sort card on her hands.

"Dark God-sama," She extended her hands, letting him observe the black card with the Gremory symbol shining in the middle. "In the name of the Gremory Clan, I offer you this."

The fierce Deity took the card with his left hand, turning it around to examine it. There was magic circle of sorts on the other side. His eyes focused again on the maid.

"What is this?"

It wasn't the maid that answered but Sirzechs, "This is the Gremory letter. You can use it to return to the courtyard in the Gremory Manor should you decide to return," The Red Satan elaborated, "You may also use it to communicate with any of us. Think of it as a private cell phone for the Gremory."

' _Cell… phone?_ ' The fierce should have frowned, but he was expressionless.

He learnt a bit from the technology not only used by humans, but also devils. As far as he could recall, a cell phone was some sort of artifact that allowed people to communicate with more people using similar artifacts as the catalyst. Honestly still magical in his opinion, despite that he had been told it was made using only science and the human intellect of this dimension.

"So, if you ever need help, do contact us," Sirzechs added, the other devils smiling.

"I assume that you can also contact me with it," The maid nodded, "Then I state the same. Should the time come when your Clan needs of me, I shall come to your aid." This statement made Lord Gremory and Sirzechs smirk, Grayfia bowing again but now sporting a tiny smile. Venelana only stared at him, trying to figure any sort of change in his expression, but as always, it turned out to be useless. She truly wondered if the Dark God felt the same gratitude she and her family felt for him.

Being such an emotionless being, it was hard to tell, yet she knew that Fierce-chan would never break that promise. How did she knew that if she barely knew him? She just felt it.

"Should we be off, then?" Akeno said, holding her bag closer to her.

The Dark God could only nod.

 **Part 2**

Rias Gremory was nervous, and anxious.

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Song 01

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While she still had one week left before summer vacations came to an end, she had decided to still pursue her selfish dream despite that her illusions were shattered by the harsh words of a Dark God. Right now, she sat in a large sofa, taking a tiny lunch with her queen, Himejima Akeno, as she shot short gazes at the silent god from time to time.

Said divine being was busy observing the strange colors outside through the window.

"Ara, ara…" Akeno giggled, a hand on her cheek, "Could it be that God-sama is curious about the dimensional barrier?" The dark god turned towards the raven-haired girl, her smile widening. "I guess I was right!" She stood up, ignoring the glare from the redhead as she stood at his side, "While we would normally use a magic circle to jump to the Human World directly, the fact that God-sama is not a devil complicates things a bit."

"How so?"

"This is the official route for the noble devils," She revealed. "It's not meant to be used by any other race than ours," She raised a finger, head leaning to the side. "As our guest, God-sama should at least take this route once so all devils can acknowledge that God-sama abides by the rules of our society…" Her purple orbs stared at him without fear, which was actually the proof of her trust in him. "God-sama may consider this his official entry procedure, or in this case, departure."

The Fierce God raised a hand to his chin, studying the girl, "So I cannot use a magic circle to travel to the Human World?"

"Yes, as it would be illegal for God-sama to use a magic circle to reach the Human World without having at least used once the official route."

The Fierce Deity could actually understand it. He was, after all, an unknown element to this world. The devil society probably made sure to keep track of every visitor of their territory in the Underworld, using the official route to monitor everyone who left and entered the Devil's homeland.

"I see. I appreciate the information, Akeno," The Dark God nodded.

And then came a gasp, Rias Gremory spurting her tea as she rose from the sofa, having overheard their conversation. The Fierce God raised an eyebrow, noticing the surprised expression that both females sported. Akeno blinked several times, while Rias looked at him in disbelief.

"Is something wrong?" He asked gravely.

There was a brief silence, which Akeno actually used to calm herself. She sort of suspected that having the Dark God calling her by her name occurred because he probably was unaware of the traditions, culture and way of referring to people inside Japan. It wasn't like she was close to the godly being for him to call her like that, and while she didn't mind it at all, it still came as a surprise.

For the way Rias had jolted away from her sit, Akeno suspected it was the same for her **King**.

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"…" Staring at the redhead, he chose to remain silent.

"You call her by her first name?" Rias growled, stepping up to them. Then, she glared daggers at her friend, who only smiled sheepishly. "Since when are you two so close?"

"Ara ara…" Akeno's smile widened, "Do I detect jealousy in your tone, Rias?"

Such question only made Rias' scowl deepen, "It's not that…" With arms folded, her aquamarine eyes narrowed. Akeno always used any chance available to tease her, and lately, it was getting too frequent. Her patience was becoming thin, "I have never seen you two talk, so hearing him call you by your first name struck me by surprise. I don't see why I should feel jealous about it."

"Oh my," With a hand on her own cheek, Akeno spoke with amusement. "I'm sorry, buchou. Maybe I overstepped my limits. I apologize for my wrong assumption."

 _'Buchou…? Like… president or something?'_ The god mused.

Even with those words of apology, Rias couldn't come to accept it. Whether it was the tone she used, or the expression Akeno sported, it simply seemed insincere no matter how she looked at it. After so many years of knowing her, the Gremory princess could tell when the **Priestess of Thunder** truly meant what she said.

This wasn't one of those times, definitely.

"I don't understand this overreaction," The Dark God stated, becoming the focus of the females. "I am not close to Akeno in any way, and assuming we actually are for such a petty reason as is to call someone by the first name is simply illogical."

Rias Gremory pouted, "I… know… I'm… sorry…"

Akeno observed her master drop her gaze in embarrassment, and felt a tint of guilt for causing it indirectly. She truly cared for Rias, and she realized that her teasing had gone too far. Akeno knew very well why the whole matter of the Dark God was important to her master, and truthfully, she had hoped Rias' plans worked.

Too bad that wasn't the case.

Suddenly, an elderly man appeared from the doors of the next wagon, who had white beard and wore a black outfit of sorts. The new presence removed his hat, showing his bald head as he approached them.

"Ho-ho-ho! To see the little princess with such a face. Our guest must be more than just a Dark God to cause that…" The man smiled, "I truly have lived a long life."

That didn't help Rias' case… at all. Her cheeks became even redder.

"Who are you?" The Dark God inquired, voice dry.

Whoever the old man was, it was clear he wasn't a common servant of the Gremory. He remained unmoved despite the fearsome aura that the god exuded, which would have normally intimidated anyone else. A light of experience and wisdom shone on his eyes.

"Oh, sorry for my lack of manners, my distinguished Lord," The man bowed, however slightly. "I am Reynaldo, the conductor of the Gremory private train. Pleased to make your acquaintance, my Lord."

The Fierce God scrutinized him for a bit, "…Likewise."

The train driver nodded and took out a small contraption of sorts, directing it at the god, who raised an eyebrow as a picture of him suddenly popped on the screen at its left side.

 _'Did he just took a pictograph of me?'_

It was similar to his **Pictograph Box** , but instead of releasing a pictograph, the picture taken was displayed on the small screen within the artifact. Now that he recalled, Link had seen in the technological machine called television, many people using this so called cameras. He was still unfamiliar with them, and to be honest, the Fierce God couldn't really understand how a television worked either.

It was like magic, he swore.

Noticing the gaze of suspicion emerging on the Dark God, Akeno realized she had to explain what just happened before it caused an unwanted misunderstanding, "Don't worry, God-sama." Her tone was soft, yet her gaze was as focused as his, "As we are formally entering the Human World from the Underworld, inspection of this transport is necessary for security measures. We wouldn't want troublesome people reaching the Human World to create chaos."

 **BI-BI! BI-BI! BI-BI!**

The Old man cocked an eyebrow, and frowned, "It isn't working. It doesn't show anything about our illustrious guest."

Rias Gremory spoke, apparently aware of the machine's malfunction, "Don't worry, Reynaldo. The Underworld has no data of him, so it's only normal that this machine doesn't show anything at all. Nii-sama is going to take care of making the papers so he is considered a member of our clan in the days to come," She darkened her gaze, "If only by paper…"

"I see," Reynaldo nodded, making a mental note of her last words. "Then the entry formalities are over. I apologize for the sudden intromission, my Lord, but it was my obligation to proceed with the according security protocols."

"You won't have this problem once Nii-sama and Beelzebub-sama are done reporting your documents as an official member and supporter of our Clan," The Gremory heiress informed, her previous embarrassment forgotten. "Until that is done, you may want to use only transports that belong to the Gremory Clan to avoid trouble."

"I see… I will keep that in mind."

Reynaldo scoffed, earning their attention, "Anyhow, rest and relax until we arrive at the scheduled station. We have many accommodations available for our guest to use as well."

"Then I'll make use of them, Reynaldo," The Dark God said, emotionless as was usual. "Thank you."

With that, the godly being walked away from them, heading to the next car of the train. Rias, Akeno and Reynaldo watched him leave.

"Ho-ho-ho! Our guest sure is charming," Commented the man, putting on his hat. "Either way, I'll return to the control room. Enjoy your stay, little princesses."

After Reynaldo left, the two of them remained alone. Rias sighed, returning to the large sofa as her body slumped over it. She felt exhausted despite that she barely did any physical activity. Akeno silently sat at her side, observing her.

"I…" The redhead began, gaze on her skirt, "I just don't know what to do…"

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Song 02

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Akeno put a comforting hand on her friend's hands, "Rias, don't give up so easily. You are stronger than that…" The redhead turned to her, displaying her tired gaze. "Even if the Dark God doesn't become your servant, we will eventually defeat Riser and get rid of the engagement."

"But I need him!" Rias spat, legs trembling, "Riser is too strong. Even stronger due to his new Queen… Whoever she is, that annoying girl is too skilled… and her strategies are perfect. How am I supposed to defeat Riser in a Rating game without his help?"

Tears threatened to come out, yet Rias fought to hold them, avoiding eye contact with her friend.

Akeno bit her lip, not knowing how to respond. It bothered her to see her best friend so desperate, but considering Rias' current situation, she could understand very well her affliction.

After all, Rias Gremory was forced to accept the engagement set by her brother and father. Despite that she didn't love him, and even hated him, she would have to marry the third son of the Phoenix Clan, **Riser Phoenix**.

The reasons for such were political, and for the future of the devil race. The Great War had claimed the life of countless pure-blooded devils, decreasing their numbers to a worrisome quantity. It was logical that Lord Gremory and Sirzechs Lucifer would want to prevent the extinction of their clan, considering that Rias only had two siblings, one that had left their house due to his duty as a Satan, while the other was too young to be the heir of the Gremory clan.

That left her with the responsibility of giving birth to future generations of pure-blooded devils, and Riser Phoenix had been chosen to be the future husband of Rias in order to prevent the Gremory household from disappearing.

A marriage that had the future of Devils on the line.

That didn't matter to Rias Gremory though, as she only wanted to marry the man she acknowledged. Someone that would respect her… and love her, not for what she represented, but for what she truly was. A simple girl that had the illusion of having a family, and live happily ever after with the person she loved.

She wanted to choose by her own who would be that person.

However, that would only be possible if Riser decided by himself to end their engagement, which so far wasn't part of his plans much to Rias' dismay. He was not only supported by his family but also by her own brother and father. Even if she despised the fact that they would marry Riser once she ended college, she would have to comply for the sake of her household.

If only she could defeat Riser in a Rating Game, then Rias was completely sure that she could make Riser nullify their engagement, but her odds of actually winning were scarce, and her only hope rested in the hands of a mighty Dark God, one that could become her servant, yet one that totally rejected her, regardless of her feelings.

Rias Gremory dropped her gaze, feeling depressed.

"I have the feeling that he will just go away, and my only chance of getting rid of this engagement will be gone with it."

Akeno sat closer to her Queen, hugging her.

"Don't lose hope, Rias," She said softly. "We will find a way to make your engagement invalid. So please, cheer up, I don't want to see you like this anymore…"

Rias Gremory sobbed, gripping the uniform of her best friend in impotence.

 **Part 3**

About forty minutes after the train's departure, Oni Link heard the announcement of a woman, which came from some sort of machine attached to a corner of the train's ceiling.

[We will momentarily be breaking through the dimensional wall. We will momentarily be breaking through the dimensional wall.]

The god directed his attention back to the windows, noticing that the strange colors outside were gone, replaced by utter darkness. After several minutes, he realized the train was inside a cave, or more exactly, a tunnel.

 _'Where are we?'_

 **o-0-O-0-o**

Another announcement was heard when 10 minutes had passed.

[We will soon be arriving at the Gremory Main Station. We will soon be arriving at the Gremory Main station. To all our passengers, thank you for riding this train.]

With the sound of the arrival whistle, the train finally came to a stop. Oni Link turned towards the doors of the next car of the train, gazing at both approaching females. The Gremory princess looked sort of pale, and was frowning. Akeno was sort of tense as well.

"It seems we finally arrived," Akeno commented, looking uncertainly at the double doors that just opened by themselves. Outside, a new platform expanded forward, similar to the one where they took the train in the Underworld.

Rias Gremory motioned him to follow. So he did, leaving the train. The trio walked in silence before reaching a door at the far end of the platform. It opened by itself from the middle, showing a tiny room inside.

 _'This must be the elevator Ajuka mentioned we would use. How does it work?'_

"Umm… I believe that we haven't addressed an important matter about the Human World," Rias folded her arms, her voice catching his attention. "Humans are not aware of the existence of devils, angels, fallen angels and gods. Not even magic for that matter."

"I am already aware of that," Fierce Deity Link quickly responded. "Ajuka already explained it to me."

Largely residing in the world, **humans** were the most common species, with the largest population inside this reality. Despite that most humans ignored the existence of magic and the supernatural, they still played an important role in the Devil's ranking system.

Moreover, Oni Link was aware that his presence would most likely cause trouble in the Human World. He could see why Rias was concerned, but he had already foreseen this matter, and had a plan to deal with it. After all, he did just the same when he roamed the lands of Valoran, and even in the Queen's continent where everyone believed he was an 'Elf', and an outlaw.

"If that is the case, then I think it's all good. I'll make sure nobody notices you," Rias smiled, raising a hand. A crimson orb of light appeared, landing over the ground before a magic circle with the Gremory symbol in the center, shone brightly over the ground.

"We are not going to use the elevator, I assume. Anyhow, where are we?" Came the god's inquiry.

She blinked, "Oh, we're currently in the secret level of a train station in Kuoh Town," She motioned her head to the magic circle, where Akeno already stood on. "Let's just say that I have total control over this town, so if would be the best place for you to visit first."

"Ara ara…" Akeno smiled, leaning her head slightly, "I do think that god-sama will enjoy his stay in Kuoh. There's a lot of interesting things to see."

"I'll decide if that is true when I see them," He replied drily, walking inside the magic circle.

The two females exchanged knowing glances, giggling, The Dark God paid it no mind as he concluded that whatever those two were hiding was most likely irrelevant and useless on his quest of finding the Black Seeder.

The trio disappeared in a show of bright red light.

 **Part 4**

Fierce Deity Link observed a three story building, the last level apparently serving as a clock-tower. The walls were painted with white, while the roof was black. Multiples vines were creeping up from the sides of the structure. Despite that is was well-maintained, it looked old-fashioned. It reminded him of the impressive buildings of the Gremory Territory inside the Underworld.

Noticing his focused stare on the building surrounded by nature, Rias spoke, "This is my main base of operations, where I oversee this town."

"…Are you some sort of governor to Kuoh Town?"

"More or less," She conceded, "Consider it my territory. Devils normally have territories established across the Human World, so we can keep in contact with humans and reincarnate more people to our ranks."

Understandable. If one was to put it simply, the Human World was the storeroom used by devils to increase their servants. While that sounded bad, it was undeniable that Devils depended on humanity to continue existing.

"I assume that is the same for angels and fallen angels," He added, earning a nod from the redhead.

Akeno butted in, "But angels and fallen angels have their own way of gaining more people to their ranks. For example, fallen angels have to tempt pure angels to join them."

 _'Hmm? I have not read about that in any book yet… How does she know?'_

"Anyhow, let's go in," Rias motioned both of them to follow. Akeno gave the Dark God an odd smile before advancing.

Oni Link raised his gaze to the clear blue sky, as blue as Hyrule's own. The air was sort of refreshing, though his lungs could feel impurities within it. He wondered what it was... Was someone burning something?

The green area surrounding the building was what he would consider normal, green and lively, unlike the vegetation of the Underworld. His ears caught the calming sound of birds chirping from the trees. He gazed up, seeing the aforementioned avian creatures flying high in the sky.

It was refreshing, considering that he had become used to the Underworld's ecosystem. This land seemed to be similar to Hyrule, the Queen's continent, and most of the other lands he'd visited, if only by its ecosystem, with the exception of the odd feeling that his lungs felt from the air.

"God-sama?" He looked at the building's entrance, Akeno was waiting for him.

Without saying a word, he moved forward.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

Despite that he apparently was inside the Human World, the interior of the building made him relive his time inside the Gremory Manor due to the similar layout in its decorations.

The only real difference between both was the wood-paneling this structure's insides were covered with, as the furnishings were made in the exact likeness of those within the Gremory Manor. Venelana Gremory mentioned this style was called 'Victorian', as it came from the 'Victorian Era', a historic period of the Human World where a Queen named Victoria reigned over the United Kingdom, a sovereign state established many years ago.

Apparently, wealthy humans and High class-devils were particularly interested in the fashion and trends of the British culture of that time.

After going up the stairs to the second floor, the Dark God followed the female duo through a corridor. He had to note that everything was so clean that not even a speck of dust could be seen anywhere. Everything looked sort of old, but was absurdly spotless.

Rias and Akeno stopped suddenly in front of a door, a sign with very odd patterns displaying: **Occult Research Club**. Oni Link had to thank the **True Language** granted to him by Great Red, allowing him to understand any existing idiom, speak it and of course, read it.

Now that he thought about it, devils also had a similar passive ability called **Language** , which made people hear them in their most familiar language, and vice versa.

Seriously, such abilities would be of great help on politics. Zelda and her father would most likely appreciate it. While in his world, most people spoke the Hylian language, including the Zoras, Gorons, Gerudo and even those not Hylians, there were still many Kingdoms with new languages that Zelda had to learn for her to be an effective diplomat.

Though she didn't seem to mind, she was after all a bookworm who enjoyed passing her time gaining knowledge, seemingly always lost in her books. Pretty much the reason why the Triforce of Wisdom had chosen her.

 _'Figures…'_

Oni Link blinked, realizing the two devils were already inside the room.

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He promptly entered, surveying his surroundings. As expected, the furniture inside was the same. In the middle, there was two couches with dark-green upholstery with a short table between them where a golden candlestick rested. Rias Gremory sat by the finely-carved wooden desk just in front of both sofas while Akeno simply stood at Rias' side.

"Welcome to the Occult Research Club," The Gremory heiress stated with a smile. "As you already know, we, devils, take care of dealing with troublesome matters such as is stray devils, or intruders that could bring harm to the people of our territory. It is from here that I direct my servants into dealing with such matters. We make contracts with humans, and we also do the jobs that our clients ask us."

"Indeed… I hope you have a pleasant time here…" Akeno's smile widened, before she turned towards her King. "Should I bring the others, Buchou?"

"Yes, I think it would be a good idea for him to meet the rest of my peerage," Fixing her hair rather seductively, though Oni Link could tell she didn't do it on purpose, Rias added. "I actually have a servant that comes from another world like you."

' _Really?_ '

"Then I'll bring them here," Akeno affirmed, a magic circle appearing beneath her before she faded with particles of yellow light.

Rias Gremory stood from her sit, staring at him for a couple of seconds. Then she walked to the left side of the room, where a small, curtained-off room was located. The Dark God observed her in silence as she entered through the curtains, her silhouette becoming visible.

It didn't take a genius to notice that she had begun to remove her clothes. Soon, further confirmation arrived as her uniform fell on the ground and out of the curtains. However, the god remained unaffected by the events due to the mask's influence.

The sound of water falling came to his earshot, allowing him to tell that she was taking a shower. It was rather odd to see such configuration for a room, where a bath was located just behind some curtains in a room that was some sort of office. Maybe the girl didn't mind the possibility of someone seeing her nude.

Namely, him, in this current circumstances.

His focus on the curtains was soon drawn to his behind, where the creaking of a door opening echoed. With it, a female voice.

"Buchou! I sensed your prese-"

As he spun around to greet the new presence, his eyes narrowed.

Before him was a girl, who still gripped the doorknob after having opened the door with one swing. Said girl sported the uniform Rias Gremory wore, which was the same white-long sleeved button down shirt with vertical linings, with the slight difference of having the black ribbon absent on the collar, opened from the top. The black shoulder cape, the matching button-down corset and the white striped magenta skirt remained the same.

As for her physical traits, the girl was slender, her skin white and eyes purple. Her turquoise hair was pinned into a ponytail with a peculiar hair clip. There was no way Link would forget it, not after the terrifying experience he was subjected to during a certain **War Across Ages**.

"L-little cute Link?" She stuttered.

' _That girl… the white witch…_ '

As a child, a couple of months after leaving Termina after Majora's destruction, Link found himself going to another world, his second otherworldly adventure in fact after Termina.

The young boy ended up in an alternate dimension of Hyrule, threatened to be destroyed by the **Dark Forces** brought by the **Black Sorceress**. Certain events lead many portals to be created to other timelines as her goal was to attack them with the monsters summoned via the **Gates of Souls**.

However, what the Black Sorceress didn't foresee, was the fact that multiple heroes from those timelines would emerge to put a stop to the monster invasion. He recognized some of them, Darunia and Princess Ruto for example.

During this adventure, Link found out that returning to his child era created two parallel timelines, one where he returned to live his childhood prior to Ganondorf's schemes to get the Triforce, while the other was the world he saved as an adult. Darunia and Ruto, who belonged to the timeline where he defeated Ganon, were surprised to see him as a mere boy despite that he had met both of them as the Hero of Time.

The young boy even fought alongside a grown-up Zelda, and… himself… Yes, there was another Link in that dimension much to his shock. His older self was just as surprised, but considering the dire circumstances, that shock was replaced by determination, as the Heroes from multiple timelines joined the Hyrulean army to fence off the threat to their respective dimensions.

There was even a girl called **Linkle** , which Link suspected was related to the Hero of that world due to their awfully similar traits. It was thanks to this unexpected adventure, that the young boy realized that no matter the era, there would be always Heroes to defend Hyrule.

But with this adventure, also came really unpleasant memories, caused by none other than the girl in front of him.

 **Lana** , the **White Witch**.

Even as a kid, he already had plenty of experience due to his adventures as the Hero of Time, which allowed him to notice Lana's infatuation with the Hero, the other Link that whore a blue scarf. During the war, he realized that Lana had somehow accepted the fact that they were not meant to be together, and that was understandable as both Zelda and Link were in love as far as he could see.

Seeing them made him think a lot.

Then the problem came when the White Witch decided to direct her affection to the young boy. Her intentions were not romantic as he was only a child, but she still showed too much affection for a boy she barely knew. Granted, he was the younger version of the Hero, but that didn't meant they were the same person.

Hugs were okay, much more when they came from attractive girls, which actually, Lana was. Even in the body of a boy, his mind was one of a man, but her sickly-sweet behavior with him was too damn annoying for his liking.

Many times the young boy was left breathless after her hug attack.

And that very same girl, not looking any older than from the last time he had seen her, was standing before the Dark God. This was not going to be good as she pretty much knew about him and the mask.

"Why are you…" Lana's voice faded, her gaze going up and down, "You're using…"

His cover as the 'Dark God' was about to be blown away. He had to take immediate measures to avoid that.

Approaching her with swift steps, he grabbed the girl's arm, earning from her a yelp, before both vanished from the Occult Research Club.

 **Part 5**

Turquoise light enveloped an unfurnished room inside the old schoolhouse within Kuoh Academy. Once the light was gone, two persons stood in front of the other, one looking as emotionless as was usual, while the other was completely shocked.

Turquoise crystal walls covered the room's entirety.

Lana, **Bishop** of Rias Gremory, regarded in utter disbelief at the imposing man before her. Despite that she knew the truth behind the intimidating presence, she couldn't help herself becoming nervous. Memories of the past began to flash continuously inside her mind.

"W-what is going on?" She managed to ask, "Why are you here? In this world?"

No response came. His piercing gaze remained on her for a whole minute.

"Ehrm…" Lana averted her eyes, a drop of sweat trailing across her cheek. She fidgeted before gaining the courage to speak again, "C-could you please remove the mask? You know it makes you so cold and scary…"

There was no apparent change on the silent god until he raised his hands to the head, pulling out his face with a display of light. The crystal walls surrounding the room became blue once the Fierce Deity Mask was totally removed.

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Honestly, Lana had hoped the little cute boy that helped her and the Hero some time ago would appear once the mighty mask was removed, yet, her eyes widened for the second time today. Instead of the cute boy she had expected to see, before her now stood a man, taller than her, whose eyes were sharp and focused, whose stance conveyed his fierceness.

A man that greatly resembled the Hero of her own world.

"Y-you… you are…" Pointing a finger at the blond man, she stammered, her cheeks flushing red, "L-Link?"

The green-clad man stared at her blankly, his blue eyes shining mystically. The window behind him let the sunlight in, covering his back and thus, in Lana's eyes, a golden glow surrounded Link. It made him all the more intimidating.

Regardless of it, Lana became simply lost in the light of his gaze.

"Yes, Lady Lana, and I bet you already realized I am not the Hero of 'your' Hyrule."

Lana blinked, puzzled. She reflected for few seconds, understanding what he meant with those words.

"By the mask on your hand, I can tell you are that little cute boy, but… why are you so… big?" She bit her lip, resting a hand over her modest medium-sized chest, "I mean, it has been only 3 months since we defeated Ganondorf and restored peace to Hyrule."

"Your Hyrule, lady Lana."

She was startled, if only because of his sharp tone.

"Yes… my Hyrule… and you returned to yours… right?" She inquired.

He nodded. Lana could recall clearly the decisive battle in the fallen Hyrule Castle alongside the many allies from across the ages against Ganondorf's forces. However, Link and Zelda led the forces masterfully, defeating the Evil King and putting an end to the war.

However, the participation of a mighty Dark Warrior was key to their victory.

A young boy that transformed into the Fierce Deity. A little boy that returned to his era after crushing countless enemies during the war. A boy she never meant to see again, and yet, that very same boy stood before her, in a world where she didn't belong, where he didn't belong. And now, he was not a cute boy, but an undeniably handsome man.

Just like the Hero she loved in the past.

"So what is-"

"I shall speak fast as I do not want the others to get suspicious," Link interrupted her, his tone commanding, "First, there is no time to talk about why are we both here, so I will leave that for another time."

"Okay…" She agreed, averting her gaze in embarrassment. Despite that they looked almost the same, with the slight differences on the hair, and some clothes, she could feel his willpower by just standing next to him. It made her legs tremble slightly.

Just like with the Chosen Hero of her world.

"Second. I was called here to accomplish a task. The future of this world and every other depends on it. Currently, my search had led me to live with the Gremory Clan…" He stopped briefly, narrowing his gaze. "Are you a devil?"

Lana's purple orbs moved from left to right, her nervousness rising.

Two months after the War of Ages ended, she ventured into the Lost Woods, finding a certain tunnel that led her to discover a new world, this world. She realized then she had no idea how to return, leading her to try and make the most of her sudden circumstances. Many things happened as she clumsily learned about the laws of the new world she found herself living in. It was hard, and at first, it was painful.

She was a scholar at heart, which made her ignorance of this world become one of the most annoying experiences she ever have to endure.

However, one day, a certain crimson-haired girl came to her and offered her a better life as she apparently acknowledged that Lana had unique abilities. Of course, Lana didn't trust the unknown girl at first, but after learning that she wasn't a normal human, and about the existence Devils and other races, she actually took her sweet time to reflect a bit.

And so, she decided to give that unknown girl a chance.

She had to thank Rias Gremory for helping her adapt to this new world. Despite the existence of many factions within this reality, certain events made the white witch forget her previous life and become a devil. A new life for her where she would be able to find a new person to love.

So the answer to that question was…

"Yes… I'm a devil…"

Link's gaze sharpened, "I see…" He folded his arms, raising his head a bit, "Third. If you still value my friendship, then you are going to do what I say."

"Eh?" She was startled. This version of Link was far more intimidating than the one she knew, that was certain. She truly felt that she should listen to him though.

"Will you do it?" He pressed.

She was hesitant, and of course she was, considering the weird circumstances these were, but honestly, she had seen worse than this up to this point.

"I… will."

Link nodded, finally letting a smile crawl into his features.

 **Part 6**

"Lana?"

The white witch was greeted by her master, Rias Gremory, when she returned to her club. Inside the room was Akeno, and by her side two persons Lana was accustomed to seeing every day.

One was a handsome blond male that wore a black blazer with white accents, and beneath it, a white-long-sleeved dress shirt with a black ribbon on the collar. The boy also sported matching black pants and brown dress shoes.

Lana knew well it was the uniform for males inside Kuoh Academy.

The other was a petite girl with shoulder-length white hair, although two of her longest bangs went past her shoulders, with other loose bangs hanging over her forehead while the back had a short bob cut. There was a cute black cat-shaped hair clip pinned at both sides of her hair. Unlike other students, she wore the Kuoh uniform for girls without the shoulder cape.

Lana's gaze returned to the redhead, who looked rather nervous.

"Oh, buchou!" She blinked in surprise, "Long time no see! Eh..." The girl bit her lip nervously at Rias' scrutiny, "…What is it…?"

Rias Gremory frowned, folding her arms, and getting suspicious. If there was something that characterized her bishop was her rather optimistic and cheerful nature, and right now, she was far from being the girl Rias was used to seeing.

"It's good to see you okay…" She cleared her throat, "Have… have you seen someone on your way here, Lana?" The Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess asked, sternly gazing at her before shaking her head, "Oh, sorry. How have you been?"

"Buchou?" The blond boy, **Kiba Yuuto** , who happened to be the **Knight** of Rias Gremory, stepped up to his King, looking concerned, "Is something happening? You returned to the Human World one week earlier than you informed us."

The petit girl at the boy's side nodded in agreement. She was **Toujou Koneko** , **Rook** of Rias Gremory.

The Gremory heiress blinked, and finally smiled.

"…Some circumstances made me come back sooner than planned," She took a sit on one of the sofas, crossing her legs. "I actually came with a guest, one really important to my clan. Maybe you have seen him, Lana. He has white hair and wears a chest armor over a sky blue tunic. He is a Dark God."

"A Dark God?" Kiba gasped in surprise, Koneko looking bewildered.

"Yes… a Dark God…" Rias focused on her bishop again, "Have you seen him, Lana?"

The girl in question blinked, "Eh? Ah… nope! Haven't seen him! I mean, I think I would definitely recognize a Dark God if I saw one, but nope! I haven't!" She giggled nervously.

Rias cocked an eyebrow, looking at her intently for several seconds. The white witch found herself sweating under her inquisitive gaze. Half a minute later, Rias sighed, walking towards the large opened window by the wall.

"He is gone… I can't sense him anywhere…" Resting a hand over the frame of the window, she looked outside, a gentle breeze swaying her crimson hair, "I sort of expected it… still, I didn't want to believe he would just leave."

"What do you mean, buchou?" Asked the blond, worried at seeing his savior so depressed. He had never seen her so down in all the time he had been her servant. "Are you talking about the Dark God you mentioned?"

Akeno butted in, "During our stay in the Underworld, we met this Dark God. As he had no memories, the Gremory offered him to remain in the palace until he recovered them," Her voice was uncharacteristically serious, worthy of notice.

Kiba smiled, "As expected of the known hospitality of the Gremory clan."

Indeed, he was well aware of how caring was the Gremory family, as the boy himself had witnessed it. After all, it was Rias Gremory who saved him from death and gave him a purpose. Even if he didn't trust his master at first, or anyone around her for that matter, he eventually came to open up to her, promising that as **Rias Gremory's Sword** , he would always serve her and her family.

"Ara ara…" Akeno giggled.

Their king turned to them, smiling warmly.

"I wanted him to become part of my peerage," Rias revealed, surprising both Kiba and Koneko. "With him I would be able to defeat my fiancée and end our engagement... but now…"

Lana, who was slightly startled, could only imagine that her complete trust on her servants made Rias reveal just about anything to them. As she considered them her family, it was understandable.

"I thought that reincarnating gods was impossible," Kiba stated, recalling what he had learnt during his life as a devil.

"He came from another world it seems…" Rias sighed, closing her eyes, "Ajuka Beelzebub-sama discovered that he could reincarnate as a devil, so I assumed it was because of that."

"Just like Lana-san?" Kiba glanced at his turquoise-haired sempai. His King responded with a nod, "I see… lately, there are many people coming from other worlds, Buchou. Elric-san is still searching for a way back."

"Does he still refuses to become my servant?"

"Yes, Buchou. He seems to be rather… close-minded…" Kiba admitted, smiling uncertainly.

Lana blinked, a tiny smile crawling into her lips as the image of that short blond came to her mind. An otherworldly traveler such as her and the recently found Hero, the not-so-cute-anymore Link. This boy had made quite an impact in Kuoh Town, causing many problems to Rias Gremory due to his stubbornness and the clear dislike he had displayed to all Devils.

Not to mention his abilities as an **Alchemist**.

To think that he started hating devils because of a silly misunderstanding. At least, despite that Lana herself was a devil, that boy had become one of her closest friends. It was her that managed to convince him to remain in Kuoh Academy as a student while he learned of this world, also helping him search from time to time in books any information that could take him back to his respective world.

"Lana? …Lana!"

The white witch jolted in surprise, "Eh!? W-what is it?"

"Stop spacing out, would you?" Rias growled, then sighed, "Sorry, Lana…"

Lana blinked, "A-about what, buchou?"

"I'm feeling sort of moody today. I'm not being my usual self…" Rias held both of Lana's hands, "I should be happy to see all my lovely servants, yet I'm still worried about the Dark God…"

"Don't worry, buchou!" Lana smiled warmly, "Your worries are ours! We're here for you! Like, always!"

Rias looked about to cry, yet she breathed deeply and smiled genuinely.

"Ara ara…" With a hand over her cheeks, Akeno giggled, "Lana-chan always knows how to cheer you up, buchou."

Kiba and Koneko exchanged a glance, nodding at one another in agreement before smiling. No matter if Rias felt sad, angered or worried, Lana had that innate ability to bring a smile to her. They all were glad that she was now part of their life.

"I won't think about it anymore. It was a lost cause since the beginning," She stepped back to the window, the sunlight that entered through it bathed her figure. "Either way, he's gone now. If what he stated is the truth, then I know I'll see him again. By then, I will be stronger. We all will be stronger."

Lana bit her lip, as she was aware of the truth behind that Dark God. It didn't sit her well that she lied to her new friends and comrades, much less to Rias, who welcomed her without a second thought and offered Lana to be part of her family.

The White Witch knew well that she once had the role of watching over the **Triforce of Power** as one of the twin **Guardians of Time** , yet, the godly relic itself revealed the existence of many worlds connected to the Lost Woods. She was offered the chance of living a new life in a new world. If her love for the Hero was one-sided, then maybe she would find someone else away from the world that belonged to him.

With that in mind, she made an important decision.

Using the Triforce of Power, she reached the inner Lost Woods, entering **Dimentia**. While it was never planned, she reached this world by accident. Unlike that short-tempered alchemist, she wasn't intending to return, having decided that she would remain the rest of her life at the side of her King.

Now, as bishop of Rias Gremory, Lana would live and fight for her new life, and her new friends.

"We will be stronger, buchou, so we can defeat Riser Phoenix and his Queen!" Lana stated, exchanging glances with Akeno, Kiba and Koneko. "So you won't be sad anymore," Lana said with determination. "I promise!"

Before the white witch could move, Rias enveloped her in a tight hug as she patted her head.

"Thank you. This means a lot to me."

 **Part 7**

Link stood over a thick branch of the apparently called cherry blossom tree, common in the country of Japan, which was notable due its pink petals and leaves. While he had read about this in particular in the books of the Underworld, he had never seen one until now.

Still inside the perimeter of Kuoh Academy, he gave a look around. The place was rather empty, only people that took care of the cleaning moved around the large field at the back of the academy, and inside the building. Link mused a bit, wondering where he should go.

He looked over his shoulder at the distance, where the old building was located. It seemed that he did it again, leaving without further notice. He had to admit that doing that had become sort of a habit for him, as farewells always brought sadness and words that people never meant to reveal. He had experienced it beforehand when he left the Kokiri Forest for the first time, and multiple times after that.

There was a short selection of people that came as the exception though, namely, Saria, Zelda, Malon, **Luxanna** , **Ahri** , **Alleyne** , **Nanael** and surprisingly Ruto. It was not nice receiving a scolding on how insensible he was and how worried his sudden depart had made them. He had enough of that honestly.

Leaving Rias Gremory was for the best though. Removing the Fierce Deity Mask was becoming harder due to the large amount of time he had worn it in the last month. Hiding his true Hylian form was of course his top priority.

Link blinked in sudden realization, pulling his green cap off from his head. From the inside he took out the Gem of Hope. Holding it tight, Link concluded that his best interest right now was finding a place to gather more information, while also avoiding to attract attention at all costs.

Oddly, the gem began to shine when he turned around towards the Occult Research Club building and smirked. It seemed there was something there that would help him reach his current goal.

Actually, someone... he realized.

"The white witch…" He muttered under his breath, snickering.

 **Part 8**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Song 04

* * *

One day later.

Lana found herself fidgeting again, sat on a bench on a certain park. At her side was a hooded figure, one that looked terribly intimidating and suspicious. The funny thing about it though was the fact that said unnerving figure thought that dressing like that had been a good idea to hide his true identity.

Needless to say, that figure was none other than Link.

"You know…" Lana began, pressing her hands on her skirt, "I think you're calling much more attention with that hood… It's not like we're in Hyrule anymore. Dressing like that is just plain dumb…"

"I have observed humans since yesterday and they all dress differently than me. I do not believe it would do any good to let people see a guy with pointed ears and a tunic. Also, they are not aware of the existence of magic and the supernatural, so this measure was needed."

Lana rested her elbows on her legs, her chin being supported by her hands.

"Why not get clothes from this world so you can pass unnoticed?"

"What about my ears? They resemble the ears from the creatures called vampires," His voice was grave. He had a good point, she had to concede. "I assume you know about that."

She nodded as she realized that Link must have read a lot to know about vampires.

The girl blinked and turned to him. She couldn't see nothing at all under the cloak he wore. Honestly, she sort of wished that she could see his handsome face again when he appeared out of nowhere this morning. Her shopping time was interrupted so at least she wanted to stare at him and study his features closely.

Maybe she was thinking like a creepy stalker… **Cia** would be proud.

"Yeah… I know… but as you can see, my ears aren't a problem because this is Buchou's territory. People doesn't seem to mind their shape thanks to her magic," She explained, smiling. "I assume this works for you as well."

There was silence. Then, Link removed his hood, revealing his blond hair, not hidden under his cap as usual, and tied into a small ponytail. His blue eyes gazed at her with what she could tell was uncertainty. Unlike the Hero Lana knew from her world, he used a small earring on his left ear.

"If you say so…" He looked forward, observing the passing people, some of them glancing at them with curiosity, others warily.

"They're actually looking at us because of that shady robe you're wearing," Lana noted, scratching her cheek. "Why don't you remove it?"

Link continued to stare at the front, musing about her suggestion, "Should I?" He reflected a bit more, few seconds passing before he stood up, gripping the cloak and removing it with a swing of his arm, the piece of clothing flying until it landed a meter away from their bench.

There it was again, the warrior clad in green, with that odd hat on his other hand, looking as stoic as ever. She stared at him before he turned at her.

"I need your help."

She blinked, shook her head, and focused. It wouldn't do any good to keep acting like a hopeless teen in front of him. Much less when he carried such a serious expression on his face.

"S-sure… what do you need of me?"

Link opened his mouth before some gasps erupted behind him. He quickly spun around to see a trio of school girls, staring at him with hopeful eyes. They approached him, taking out their cellphones. Lana smiled in amusement.

"That's some super cosplay!"

"Yeah! You look sooooo cool! What are you? An forest warrior? A medieval one at that?"

Link frowned.

"…"

Whatever was on his mind, Lana guessed this was going to be a rather interesting event to see unfold. She took the cell phone Rias gave her as a gift, having already learn how to use it and prepared herself.

"Can we take picture with you!?" The taller of them asked, "I've never seen personally a cosplay as detailed as yours! I mean, the tunic and the ears look legit! Even the boots!"

Link scratched his head before putting his hat and nodded. The trio let out gasp of pleasure at his response and got closer to him. Two of the hugged him from both sides, the last one stood before him and raised a hand, making a V with her fingers while using the other hand holding her cellphone to take the picture.

They grinned and Link only stared blankly the whole time.

"H-hold up! Can I also take you four a picture?" Lana asked hopefully. They nodded quickly, "Yeah! Continue posing then!"

The trio continued to pose, while the blond man could only go along with it. Lana took the picture, a genuine smile spreading from side to side. That photo was gold on her book, and she would always conserve it, she had decided.

With that done, the trio began to check their phones, sharing the photo they took of the blond boy. Link observed them dumbfounded until they bowed to him.

"Thanks! / It's so cool! / I'll post in Galax!" They said at once and sprinted away.

Link cocked an eyebrow, watching them leave as the white witch approached him.

"What is a cosplay? They did not become suspicious of my outfit despite that it differs greatly of the custom clothes that humans of this world wear."

Lana sweat dropped, "Well… cosplay is some sort of performance art, common in Japan, where people wear costumes and accessories to represent characters from all sorts of media. Such are video games, books, TV shows, manga and anime."

The blonde cocked an eyebrow, looking thoughtful. She wondered if he was familiar with those terms. It wouldn't be a surprise if he wasn't honestly, considering that he had only be in this world for one month give or take, or such he claimed.

Truth to be told, it was hard to tell if this young man was saying the truth. Even if he looked like the Hero she knew, even if he was once that little cute boy, she felt something different now about him. Something dark, and she wondered if it was because of the mask.

"TV shows are shown on this technological artifact called Television, I assume. I saw Millicas Gremory using the television to apparently play something using a control of sorts. He called it a video game, which was based on a TV show with non-real persons."

Lana nodded, "Exactly. And Manga is basically a hand-drawn book, full of images, while Anime is an animation made by a computer." Link stared at her blankly, "You know, that device that can be used to perform a variety of operations. Haven't you seen one?"

"No," He answered.

"It's similar to a cellphone but on a bigger scale… Like this?" She raised her cellphone to his face. The young man nodded, "And finally, videogames are electronic games that involves interaction with some sort of system, in order to generate a visual feedback via a video device."

Link scratched his head, "I honestly have no idea of what you are talking about, so I shall investigate about that myself later on."

"Sure, do so. There is a lot of information you can get using internet," Lana suggested, but Link seemed to frown again. "Oh, you don't know what that is either…"

"Anyhow," Link sat again. "Tell me… how did you get to this world? Why have you become a devil?"

With those two inquiries thrown at her, Lana concluded that simple answers would work just fine. It would be a bore to just tell him everything with details.

"I wanted to live my life without having to remain as a guardian. I used the Triforce of Power to reach the Lost Woods, and arrived to his world by accident," She elaborated, "Then I met Rias and she helped me adapt to this world. Eventually I decided to become part of her peerage, because she is such a good person! I just want to help her in any way I can! So all my abilities are at her disposal."

Every word spoken was the truth, even if she exaggerated a bit despite that they both knew each other for only nine months. She trusted Rias Gremory completely, and Lana knew that her King felt the same. Maybe abandoning her mission as watcher of the Triforce of Power back at her world was selfish, but she truly wanted to have a chance to live her life to her fullest.

In this world, Lana felt she could do so.

"I see," The blond young man scrutinized her in silence.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

Sometimes, people were born to accomplish a task, such was their fate, and it was unchangeable. They lived to accomplish it, the existed for it, and that may have been the case with the white witch, Lana.

Even if he was a child during that time, Link had come to see that this girl strived to accomplish her mission, ignoring all her own needs and wishes in the process. Such was her destiny as one of the Guardians of Time.

However, he could admit that trying to break free from that destined path she was forced to walk on was understandable. Much more now that she revealed to him that she wanted to live and experience many things without her destiny getting in the way.

While Link was chosen to be the Hero to stop the Evil King in the past, he had broken the chains of Fate and made a way for his own. He lived his life as he so desired to.

And Lana wanted to do the same, alongside Rias Gremory it seemed.

"Lady Lana, where can I get information about the human world?" He inquired, resting his back on the bench, "My equipment has been scattered. I need to learn as much as I can of the Human society so I can decide where to go and what to do."

"But… haven't you lived in the Gremory Manor for more than a month!?" The girl stated, incredulity adorning her face, "I clearly recall they have one of the biggest libraries I have seen in my entire life. Haven't you searched there?"

Link smirked, "You would be surprised to know how much I learnt already. However, I still lack knowledge about the customs of… humans."

"If you want, I could teach you all I know… I've been living here for quite a while now," She offered, her voice rather low but still audible enough.

"I would certainly appreciate it, lady Lana."

"Just call me Lana!" She pouted, softly punching his arm.

The young warrior scratched his cheek. There was no denying that the turquoise-haired girl had good intentions with him, not to mention the cuteness she seemed to display involuntarily. It honestly made Link want to pick on her for some reason.

"As you command, lady Lana," He grinned, a mocking tone coating his voice.

"Are you making fun of me? If you were a kid I would…" She came to a stop, noticing his startled expression.

"You would…?" He narrowed his gaze, his arm stretched over the back of the bench, his body leaning to her, "What?"

Her purple eyes darted from side to side, her face becoming as red as a tomato. She leant back, gripping the side of the bench. It was clear that she still harbored feelings for the Hero of her world, and she was now reflecting them on him.

Considering their almost identical appearance, it was conceivable. And now, even if Link didn't like using that at his advantage, he had to do so, if only for now. He retreated, sighing and stood up, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"I will trust you Lana, so please, help me accomplish my task."

She stared at him for several seconds, lost in her thoughts. Link was patient enough to give her time to react, ignoring the fact that she looked at him like a starving child.

"Yes! Yes!" Lana nodded frenetically, "Your trust will be rewarded! I'll do anything at my disposal to help you!"

"…Even if helping me would mean to go against the Gremory Heiress?"

She was stunned by that question, becoming silent. He wondered how close was Lana to that girl, and what could have possible caused it. She looked doubtful, and that meant something worthy of consideration.

Does becoming part of a Devil's peerage broke people's will?

Despite that he had already learnt that most reincarnated devils were loyal to their masters, hearing the multiples testimonies from the servants of the Gremory Clan, and even those from Riser Phoenix's peerage, he concluded that maybe, Devils had some kind of ability to charm humans.

Or maybe he was just overthinking it.

Still, caution should always be the prime form of interaction or approach with any unknown quantity, and he wasn't about to throw a compass overboard because the ocean was calm.

Link knew that quite well.

"It depends…" She giggled nervously, her gaze avoiding his, "Why would you go against Rias? She's a nice person! She helps people and would never hurt anyone…"

"That you say, as someone that is part of her peerage," His expression turned neutral, "That statement is biased as far as I see. If there is something that I have learnt during my travels is that you cannot be wary enough."

"But you have lived with them!" Lana argued, her hands gripping her skirt, "They were nice to you, right? They gave you a place to stay, they received you without asking you nothing in return. They treated you like family!"

He looked at her inquisitively, "They did, I will not deny it. However, they welcomed a dark god, not me. Do you not think that they did because that dark god is powerful? Because he could become a powerful ally of the Gremory if they gained his favor."

"Of course not! They only did because you feigned to have lost your memories! I mean, the dark god feigned…" She somehow looked hurt, "From my standpoint, I only see you as the baddie here… who only used them and lied to them."

Link stared at her. It was quite puzzling that she would react like this, despite that she had been one of the closest persons to the Hero of her world, despite that she previously was dedicated to her task as a Guardian of Time, she had truly abandoned the thought of returning to her previous life.

She was being selfish, but that wasn't necessarily bad.

"You seem to have forgotten that Lady Gremory wanted to make the Fierce Deity her servant," He said with a severe expression. "In my book, that is interest, not kindness."

"But she only wanted to do it because-"

"Why should I believe anything you say about her?" He cut her off, "Your loyalty clearly stands with the Gremory Clan, so it would be normal if you were to speak on behalf of their best interests."

Lana widened her eyes in realization, "That's…"

"Hear me well… Lana," With one knee resting on the ground, looking up at her as she still remained sat on the bench, Link spoke, "I respect your decision, I respect your close relationship with the Gremory Heiress, but I have a mission to accomplish, and I will do it no matter where it takes me."

She bit her lower lip, unable to meet his piercing gaze. Fidgeting, she shyly raised her head, purple orbs finally crashing with the blue ones of the young man.

"Why are you assuming that your task will put you against Rias? You dislike devils, don't you?"

Link smiled weakly, wondering what he felt about them, but the truth was that he didn't feel anything at all for their kind, due to wearing the Fierce Deity Mask during all his interactions with them. They were pretty much another group of people that he would save if needed, but nothing more than that.

However, one fact lingered. The magic Devils used was of dark nature, such as the powers of the mask in his possession.

 _'Absolute power corrupts, and it attracts those corruptible. Always that damn old story.'_

Link was totally sure that nothing ever good came from obtaining that sort of power, he'd seen many examples such as the Majora's Mask, or the **Ascended Magus** of an ancient civilization he faced on another world.

So he wouldn't trust Devils so easily, as the Hero of Time had experienced himself what dark powers could cause in people. The Fierce Deity Mask always tried corrupt him whenever he wore it for long periods of time, and he knew that someday it would be his undoing.

Though, people say that nothing is ever what it looks like.

Maybe the laws of nature were different in this world, but unless he was proven wrong, Link wasn't about to trust anyone that used them. No one from this reality, at least… for the time being.

There were exceptions to this rule honestly. Such was a certain **Demon Hunter** , a **Super Soldier** and a **SS-Class Rebel** , as they held dark powers they controlled as Link did with the Fierce Deity mask.

"I do not trust them… but that does not mean they are my enemies. I will make that call when the time comes… For now, I only need to adapt and learn. So after these words of mine, I ask again. Will you help me? I understand if you refuse."

"I…" Lana looked nervous, doubtful, her eyes darting uncontrollably as she made the respective inner deliberations, "I…"

"I may have been too blunt, Lana, but I need to know that I can trust you," Finally, a soft expression painted his face, "If you are sincere today, what does it matter if you regret it tomorrow? Just tell me what you feel right now."

"…I…" Lana lowered her gaze.

Link only waited and hoped for the best.

 **Part 9**

"I have learnt my lesson… I know nothing…"

 **Part 10**

One Year later.

 **Vatican City State.**

 **St. Peter's Basilica,** being one of the largest churches in the world, not to mention the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture, was the **papal enclave** within the city of **Rome** , and the main base of operations of the **Roman Catholic Church**.

Inside a rather big hall with picturesque architecture was a long table for meetings, namely, for the **Papal Consistory** , a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals called by the supreme **Pontiff** of Rome, considered as one of the world's most powerful humans because of his diplomatic and cultural influence.

However, the Pope was absent, currently resting in the **Apostolic Palace** after an exhausting meeting with the believers on the St. Peter's Square. However, the current meeting held in the Dome of St. Peter still had gathered quite the illustrious members of the Catholic Church. To begin with, there was an **archangel** among the people around the large table.

 **Michael** , one of the **Four Great Seraphs** of **Heaven**.

The divine being was a handsome-looking man, who had blond long hair and green eyes. He wore a red robe with multiple designs, such as a yellow cross at the lower half of the clothing. A golden armor covered his shoulders, chest and back, which also displayed odd designs. Finally, a large cape of pastel color fell from the golden armor.

Said divine being looked at the gathered people around the table, scrutinizing them one by one. From time to time, Michael reunited several members of the Church to discuss many points of interest and inform them of the current tasks that Heaven had determined to be accomplished. Of course, some of these tasks required the skills of a certain kind of Members of the Church.

 **Exorcists.**

People that was tasked with killing Devils, Fallen Angels, Vampires and Demonic Creatures that could potentially bring harm to Humans. This group within the Church's ranks consisted of priests and nuns, extensively trained from young age in order to gain abilities that greatly surpassed that of normal humans.

Michael's gaze fell first on a sleeping man, one that was known as the **Strongest Exorcist** due to his might and the fact that he was the holder of a **Longinus**. Interestingly enough, the man with blond hair and green eyes dressed as a priest called **Dulio Gesualdo,** was sleeping peacefully over the table's surface, not caring that the meeting was about to start.

At the side of Dulio was **Vasco Strada** , a 2-meter 87-year old man with white hair and wrinkles on his face due to his age. Despite his age, the old man was extremely muscular. He also wore priest vestments.

"I believe it would be wise for us to start," Said Vasco, ruffling his beard. "Dulio isn't going to wake any time soon and the Green Exorcist has yet to appear."

"I agree," **Ewald Cristaldi** , **cardinal deacon** of the Church, nodded. The middle-aged man with black hair dressed in vestments leant back, resting his body on the comfy chair. "I assume his last task may have been too much for him to handle."

"Hmm?" A humming sound came from a woman, who wore a black sister attire. Ewald stared at the lovely woman, **Griselda Quarta** , considered to be one of the top five female exorcists of the Church, "Does my memory fail me? I recall that you sent him to find and bring that accursed book by himself from Transylvania. A task that should have been given to a group of veteran exorcists."

Michael observed with interest at the tense atmosphere brewing over the table. Griselda merely looked at Ewald, smiling coldly, which actually caused him to frown. The black-haired man sighed, resting his arms over the table's surface as he gazed at her.

"I don't like what you're implying…" His fingers intertwined under his chin, "He had managed to meet in person the The Lady Of The Lake, who granted him the lost Ring of Dispel that previously belonged to Sir Lancelot. Not to mention that he also possesses the Soul Blade Amulet. If he can't accomplish this mission with those two relics on his power, then I'm afraid that having him as an exorcist would be a hindrance to the Church."

"It seems to me that you don't trust him… am I correct?"

"Of course I don't," Ewald admitted. "Even if he gained the favor of both Archangel Gabriel and the Norse Gods, he is still an unknown to us. He has to prove himself."

"He has been doing that since he was brought by Dulio," Griselda shot back, resting a hand over her chest. "Mr. Shidou stated clearly that he was a force of good. It is because of him that Irina, Xenovia and Miakis are alive."

"That is truth, Cardinal Cristaldi," Vasco commented, earning his attention. "Even Lord Odin favors him. He prevented the death of countless Asgardians in the 9 World War and secured our alliance with the Norse Gods."

The middle aged-man sighed wearily. He never meant to treat the newcomer so harshly, but the Church had been dealing with so many stray exorcists lately that he had to make sure that this young man truly meant to help the Church and be a servant of God. He was aware that this unknown warrior was quite the fighter, and that meant that he was dangerous. Having him dealing with difficult tasks was the way to know if his goodwill with the Church was to be trusted. So far, it seemed that he was sincere.

So as a last test to his perseverance in joining the Catholic Church, he had sent him to retrieve the **Voynich Manuscript** , a book that held terrible spells of black magic nature. Having recently discovered its location, the Church's intelligence department found out that the manuscript was held by a sect that resided in Transylvania.

Needless to say, that sect, called **Rising Slumber** , was feared, even by devils and angels. It seemed that a fallen angel was leading the demonic sect, according to the Church's scouts. While most people would have renounced the Church for being assigned such missions, this young man had accepted and dealt with every task given without showing the slightest sign of hesitation.

"Anyhow, let us proceed," Another cardinal, a bald man that wore a silver robe called **Cesare Baldisseri** , spoke, nodding at the silent Archangel as if to ask him to begin.

"Wait…" Michael raised a hand. Everyone blinked, gazing at him with curiosity. He had sensed someone coming closer, a heroic aura approaching their location. With eyes closed he revealed, "He is finally here."

Suddenly, the double doors within the meeting room were opened, every soul inside gazing at the sound of wood creaking as a blond young man clad in green stepped inside, each step echoing.

Link, Exorcist of the Catholic Church.

 **Part 11**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Song 05

* * *

There were times where Link questioned his own perception, his understanding of new cultures and societies he encountered across the years. Even in other Kingdoms such Labrinna and Holodrum, or in otherworldly ones such as Gainos, Demacia, Freljord and Ionia.

However, they all shared one similarity, and such was the goal of progressing as civilizations. It could be said the same for the Human World of this reality, where devils, angels and fallen angels resided, even if normal humans were ignorant to it. The Underworld and Asgard could be included in the list as far as he could tell, yet there was something that left Link with a bad taste after one whole year of exploring and adventuring.

The human factor was corrupt.

While many would consider such thinking as illogical, Link had realized that everything in this human world revolved around money, political power, the development of massive destruction weapons, and the search for love and sex.

Despite that technology was far more advanced, and people was more civilized in every aspect, Link couldn't bring himself to call this progress. People only lived to work instead of working to live. Money could buy happiness, love and even a family. Religion and faith was used to take advantage of those naive. Animals were hunted and killed indiscriminately, bringing many species towards extinction. An innumerable amount of money was used to support sports, such as the one called **football** , which wasn't bad, but considering the extreme poverty on so many countries around the world, it was simply inhuman to keep focusing such amounts of money in simple entertainment than helping those in need.

Resources were harvested excessively, and such caused conflicts in many countries. Political interests trampled the rights of people, sometimes even their right to live. Humans depended too much on technology, to the point that it had become a lifestyle. Technology was even being developed to replace humans. Not to mention the increasing number of criminals around the world.

Hyrule and all the previous worlds he had visited held their fair share of flaws, but they were nothing compared to all Link had seen on a certain type of program that announced the news of the world.

Link only needed 8 hours of seeing the multiple news outlets of many countries to understand the mess that enveloped the world in many sectors. There were exceptions of course, but those weren't enough for him to accept this world as an entirely good one.

In all, Link was disappointed, and the worst was the fact that he was still far from accomplishing his task so he could return to where he belonged. Link was not a man to lose his aim, though, as he continued to search for any clues about the so called **Black Seeder**.

That search led him to meet a man that cataloged himself as the **Tempest of Heaven** , an exorcist called Dulio Gesualdo, who was part of the Roman Catholic Church, an organization led by the angels. The natural enemies of both Devils and fallen angels.

Dulio, as a lover of all types of cuisine, had traveled to **China** to discover the intriguing flavors that Chinese food offered, or so he stated. However, when he met Link and discovered his rather unique abilities due to a certain event that involved the curse of the **Great Wall of China** , the exorcist offered him to join the Church as they could use someone with his abilities.

The fact that this unknown young man exuded a holy aura, not to mention that he also possessed the Ring of Dispel, pretty much told Dulio that he was special. The Exorcist was truly impressed though when he discovered that Link had been rescuing hundreds of boys and girls from many child trafficking organizations, leaving them with the authorities, and then simply disappearing without leaving a trace.

The unknown blond guy was courageous, and Dulio knew he would benefit the greater good if he was to join the forces of God. Thankfully, he stumbled upon him again by mere accident, and used this chance to persuade him. To Dulio's pleasant surprise, the young man showed interest in his proposal.

Since then, Link was taught the ways of the Exorcist, the goals of the Church and the will of God. He had to admit that the Catholic religion was interesting, but as many other religions, it held its flaws, such as its dark past, which Link had studied closely.

Even so, the former Hero of Time concluded that as a member of the Catholic Church, he would gain access to many libraries spread across the Vatican, which held records about the story of the **Great War** and the **God of the Bible**.

And so he found himself now in front of the room where part of the most powerful exorcists were gathered, as was usual.

"So, you're finally back…"

 **o-0-O-0-o**

A golden chandelier that hanged from the ceiling illuminated the meeting room where several exorcists were assembled.

Link, who wore his trademark green tunic, closed the door behind him before turning to his fellow comrades. They scrutinized him in silence as the blonde made his way towards an empty chair around the long table.

That done, he rested his arms over the wooden surface, hands intertwined, gaze focused on the bald cardinal, who spoke after giving him a look of acknowledgement.

"Now that the Apostle Peter Unit is reunited, let us begin," Cesare stated, opening a book on his hands. "I have here all your reports from the last month with the exception…" His gaze moved from the book to the green-clad man, "Of your report, Sir Link."

The young man in question opened his gloved hand, a ball of light shining as a piece of paper appeared, falling gently on his palm. A second later, the piece of paper shone green before it was teleported to the hand of the cardinal.

Cesare gave a quick read to it, "I assume that you delivered the Voynich Manuscript to our treasury, yes?" His question was responded with a nod of Link's head, "Good. I knew you would be able to accomplish this task."

"We all knew," Came a comment from Griselda Quarta, giving a knowing look to Ewald Cristaldi. "With one exception, of course."

Link observed the woman dressed as a sister as she continued to smile coldly at the middle-aged man. Said man only sighed and regarded Link with a serious expression.

"Sir Link, I believe it is time for me to address the matter regarding your sudden association to our holy church," Ewald stood from the chair, folding his arms. Silence reigned as every soul present tensed in anticipation. To their mild surprise, he started laughing, "Hahaha! You did manage to get hold of the accursed manuscript despite that it was heavily guarded by one of the most dangerous cults in Europe."

Such outburst was unexpected, really so as Ewald Cristaldi was known as a serious and composed individual. Diligent on his previous role as an exorcist, now as cardinal deacon, Ewald had managed to keep the Church's forces in their best conditions. Many young students found in him the guidance to become the best warriors that now stood on the front lines of the Catholic Church. Such was Dulio Gesualdo, once his student, and now the strongest exorcist.

"I expected as much, honestly" Michael suddenly spoke. "It's not for nothing that he is regarded so highly by my sister. Link had been chosen by her to become her champion," The Archangel gazed at him, giving Link a knowing smile. "Though it seems that you've been avoiding her… am I right?"

The young warrior averted his gaze, scratching his cheek nervously.

"Oh my!" Griselda gasped, as if realizing the meaning behind the archangel's words. "Could it be that Link is afraid of the most beautiful woman of Heaven?"

Everyone let out a hearty laugh, while Link sighed wearily.

"Anyhow, with that manuscript locked in the vaults of the Church and Rising Slumber disbanded, our sentries should be able to explore the territories beyond Romania without having to deal with those cultists," Link cocked an eyebrow at hearing the bald man, "Yes, I know that the cult was… utterly destroyed by you."

The blond warrior sighed, finally his voice echoing across the room, "How did you…"

Cesare Baldisseri continued his words, smiling with amusement, "…know? Do you really think that I was going to wait for the report to arrive?" Raising a hand as a white dove landed on it, he added, "My reliable pigeons always keep me updated, have you forgotten?"

Typical. Despite that Link had joined the Church and had completed many tasks given to him, it was not enough, he was still being observed by their sentries after all. The young hylian expected as much, considering that he was still a newcomer.

Honestly speaking, it was Michael and Dulio's doing that Link was allowed into these meetings despite the opposition the archangel received from the cardinals. He concluded that it may have been Gabriel's intervention that caused it as she bluntly stated that didn't want Link to be an Exorcist, but her personal guard.

Most likely, yeah. Gabriel was too kind… too damn kind for Link's liking.

"Hmmm?" Suddenly, the voice of Dulio was finally heard, everyone turning at him, "So what's the point of this reunion? I can only think that you have something important to inform us, cardinal?"

Cesare scrutinized the blonde, green-eyed man, frowning at his ever easygoing attitude, "Sir Gesualdo, are you in a hurry?"

"Yes," He responded bluntly. "You do know that I…" He stopped briefly, snickering as his eyes glanced to both sides, complicity edged on them, "…Still have plenty of cuisine to discover… right?"

Link knew well what Dulio meant by saying 'cuisine to discover'.

The bald man scoffed, "I do know that." After that, he sighed, "Let's get to the point of this meeting then. He turned towards the archangel, "If our Highness would be so kind…"

Michael smiled, and nodded, "Of course my good friend." He raised from his sit, "As you should know by now, we have been dealing with many stray exorcists for the past month. They have been siding with fallen angels to gain power."

"For what purpose exactly, my holiness?" Asked Griselda.

"As Heaven no longer favors them, the excommunicated exorcists are searching for new sources of power so they can continue fulfilling their own twisted desires," Michael dropped his gaze, looking troubled. "Once tempted by power, humans can become far worse than monsters. It's really worrisome."

Link was not surprised, he had witnessed himself people becoming corrupt due to their hunger for power. And even for those that actually manage to obtain it, power defiled the very sense of morality within them.

The Majora's Mask itself was the proof, and such was also the Fierce Deity Mask.

"In any case," The Archangel continued, giving some steps around the table. "The stray exorcists must be dealt with. Five Apostles will remain in the Vatican while the rest will be sent to the hunt down the renegades. If it's possible, take them into custody."

Link listened carefully, observing the ever calm features of the Archangel. He could see the sadness on Michael eyes despite his kind expression. It was understandable if one was to consider that those they had to hunt now were their companions before becoming renegade.

And now that Link thought about it, it had only been about a couple of weeks since he was signed to one of the twelve strongest teams within the Church's ranks, called ' **the Apostles**.' Each Apostle was called after the disciples of **Jesus of Nazareth** , the son of the Biblical god.

Link's apostle was **Peter**.

"I won't kill," Dulio stated, his tone severe, unusually so, contrasting his lazy personality. "I'll just capture them… It shouldn't be too difficult."

Link could agree with him.

Ewald scoffed, tapping the table's surface. "Each one of you will receive your targets and their suspected locations shortly. We gave these stray exorcists their knowledge and weapons. It's about time we get that back for neglecting the teachings of god."

Everyone nodded their heads.

 **Part 12**

Link opened a wooden door, which by the way was masterfully crafted. He was currently in the **Holy Headquarters** located in **Castel Gandolfo** , a town located 15 miles southeast of Rome in the Lazio region, which he was currently living in.

Having joined as one of the twelve apostles, Link was granted his own room within the Headquarters. The accommodations were great, and while the young Hylian appreciated it, he sort of felt they were unnecessary.

His room was large, containing a traditional type of bed, which displayed a timeworn visual, similar to the Victorian style of Vatican City. There was a dresser at the left, and to the right, a glass door that led to the balcony, from which the sunlight illuminated the room.

The floor was carpeted, the walls were covered with fine clay plaster, colored white. Red curtains covered the glass window, and the white ceiling was adorned with draws related to the Church. There was a long red sofa, with two short ones accompanying it by the corner, with a short table between them.

The murals that once adorned the walls had been removed by Link himself and stored in the closet. In their replacement, Link hanged his own arsenal, or at least, the few weapons he had found so far.

Stepping in front of the ebony-colored weapon rack, the blonde warrior observed the few weapon at his disposal. The **Hylian Shield** was hanged on the upper left of the rack, shining brightly with the intruding sunlight. At its side was the **Longshot** , the improved grapple device he obtained in the Water Temple.

The **Hero's Bow** , a large **Quiver** and the **Bomb Bag** were also attached to the weapon rack. Finally, a gift from the Archangel Gabriel herself shone brightly in the middle of the weapon rack, a Holy Sword in fact, a weapon infused with Holy power.

Its name was the **Sword Of Attila** , also known as the **Sword of Mars** or **Sword of God**. Belonging to a historical character, **Attila the Hun** , who happened to be the ruler of the **Huns** , a confederation of warrior bands that were vanquished from existence in year 454, this particular sword was said to hold imaginable holy power, even compared to the other Holy Swords such as **Durandal**. After he earned the trust of the ridiculously kind Archangel, she granted him the Sword of Attila, stating that he would be able to do a great good with it for the world.

He hasn't used it since she gave it to him. He had his fair share of reasons.

Ignoring the brilliance the holy sword exuded, Link proceeded to sit on the bed, noticing a light coming from a mirror with an odd design. Looking at the object resting over the surface of the tiny table at the side of the bed, he managed to notice the red gem shining on the top of it.

That meant one thing, and Link had to sigh at the implications of such an event.

Raising a finger, the young Hylian touched the red gem of the small mirror. Upon contact, the glass became white, no longer reflecting light. Instead, an image appeared, showing the face of a pretty girl.

"Lady Rossweisse…" Link muttered under his breath.

Silver, long straight hair, blue eyes and a pout greeted him. As far as Link could see, the girl wore the usual set of a Valkyrie armor. Considering the background, he guessed she was in her own bedroom.

"Link!" Rossweisse, who was also called the **Valkyrie who never had a boyfriend** , puffed her cheeks in a rather cute manner. Yeah, he had to admit she was really pretty, "You are such a mean person! I've been trying to contact you for two weeks now!"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow, putting a hand under his chin as if thoughtful. That surely made Rossweisse angrier as her face became red. Despite that she was usually composed and serious, she acted very childish with him. It was a pain in the butt.

"You're so mean, Link…" She said softly, her pout deepening, "I gave you the mirror so we could keep in contact, yet you…"

He stared at her blankly, unmoved.

After certain incidents during the **Nine World War** , Link had come to make many acquaintances among the people he had met. One of them was of course, **Rossweisse** , current bodyguard of the Norse god **Odin**.

"I have been rather… busy."

The pout became a frown, the silver-haired girl folding her arms. "…That's all you have to say?" She growled, looking irritated. Link could already imagine what she was about to tell him now, "I told you that I would take you back to the Human World, yet you decided to just disappear on us." She raised a hand where a familiar note was gripped, "You think this is enough? We wanted to give you our thanks for helping us…"

Link smiled, "I do not think that is necessary, Lady Rossweisse. We prevented the death of your people, and that is reward enough for me."

"Don't call me lady… makes me feel old…" The Norse Valkyrie growled, "I told you so many times already…" Her frown was gone when she shook her head, finally a smile adorning her face, "So… what are you up to, Link?"

"Church business, the usual," Was his response.

She made a humming sound as she tilted her head, "Stray devils?"

"Stray exorcists apparently."

"I see…" She looked thoughtful, "I think you should know that Asgard is nearing its complete restoration. It's so refreshing seeing everybody working together to rebuild our home. My Lord Odin said that we would be…"

Link grabbed the **Kokiri Sword** that was behind the magical mirror, and used a thin fabric to polish its sharp edge, carefully. As he did, the young Hylian focused his attention again on the mirror. Rossweisse stared at him blankly.

"You weren't listening, were you?" The Valkyrie asked, glaring at him, and he could only scratch his cheek, his silent admission clear. "That was plain rude. One needs to pay attention when people talk to you."

He had to raise an eyebrow at her scolding, so similar to the ones from Zelda. Link had to admit that many times he had made the Princess of Hyrule mad for petty reasons, and such caused him to be scolded by her. The Valkyrie pretty much sounded like the royal princess right now.

"I do know that," He smiled, giving her a cocky expression. "Thank you for the reminder though," She blinked, her cheeks gaining a soft tint of red. "It's good to know everything is going well for Asgard, but I recall God Odin said the mirror's usage was restricted to only the business that interested the Catholic Church and Asgard. Do you have something to inform us?"

"No…" She averted her gaze, a nervous smile emerging. "I just wanted to say hi…"

Link looked at her neutrally and sighed. Rossweisse began to fidget.

"Hi then…" Nodding, Link observed the Kokiri Sword, "And farewell." She looked as if she wanted to speak, yet the Hyrule-born continued, "Send my regards to God Odin, Thor and the Valhalla Alliance."

Rossweisse dropped her shoulders at that, "…I will. It was good to see you again, Link."

"Likewise," He smirked. "Godspeed."

And with that, he pressed the red gem of the mirror, the glass reflecting light, his own image appearing once again.

"Maybe I was a bit too cutting…" Muttering to himself, he stood up and sheathed the Kokiri Sword in a knife pocket that hanged in the weapon rack. With that done, he adjusted the knife holder by the belt across his waist. "Maybe not."

Link sighed. He had yet to find any of his magical pouches, forcing him to take only the gear he would need for the time being. And such was the Hylian Shield and the Hero's Bow, which were adjusted over his back and arm respectively, and the Longshot. He finally glanced at a little blue box at the side of the magical mirror.

Inside were two very valuable objects: **The Ring of Dispel** and the **Soul Blade Amulet**. Link decided to only grab the ring, inserting his right index finger on it, thus the object remaining beneath his gauntlet.

He could feel a small magical barrier covering his entire body, shining blue around his whole body before it faded. The Ring had already done its work. Link smiled and retrieved the document resting on the furniture by the entrance door.

He gave it a quick read.

Criminals: Captured or eliminated.

\- **Solomon Bertello** : Last seen: France, Toulouse.

\- **Freed Sellzen** : Last seen: Japan, Unknown.

\- **Antonio Rosales** : Last seen: Spain, Valencia.

The otherworldly traveler put a thoughtful hand under his chin. Seconds passed, his inner deliberations coming to an end.

 _'I suppose that I will leave Freed Sellzen for last.'_

Link folded up the document into a tiny square and stored it inside one of the pockets of his belt. That done, he walked towards the door, however, his pace was halted when the door was knocked upon. Link stared briefly and grabbed the doorknob, opening the door, only to reveal a new presence.

Before him was a young woman, with chin-length blue hair. Apparently, it was a trend in this world to dye locks of hair of one's choosing in a different color as she displayed a green fringe on the right side of her hair. Her eyes were a dark yellow, piercing and at the same time calm.

It was hard to explain.

Despite her strong aura, the girl, which Link knew as **Xenovia Quarta** , had a slender figure due to her low weight, maybe 55 kg give or take. She wasn't particularly tall; nor short, but just about average height.

Link's gaze moved down to contemplate her clothes. As usual, she sported the church battle suit, consisting of a black skin-tight, short sleeved unitard with pauldrons, matching fingerless gloves that extended to her biceps and thigh-high boots, adorned with straps.

Finally, a silver crucifix hanged around her neck.

"Link, I was assigned to give you assistance in the hunt of the stray exorcists," She informed, her tone calm. "Are you ready to depart?"

He deadpanned and walked out of the room, closing the door. Then he looked at both sides of the corridor in case anyone else was around. To his relief, only Xenovia was here.

"Don't take this as an offence, Lady Xenovia, but I would prefer going by myself. I am used to working alone," He began to walk away, but steps echoed at his side, signaling him that someone was deaf.

"I understand, but my orders still stand. I'll be your partner during this quest." He turned around, looking mildly irritated. Xenovia was known in the Headquarters for her resoluteness and dedication to the Church, always putting her missions on top priority before anything else. Dry and cold towards her enemies, she apparently would give her life should it be necessary for the sake of her task and the Catholic Church.

It was admirable for some part, but Link could see that while she was a faithful member of the Church, Xenovia's beliefs were somewhat flexible unlike in other members. She respected other religions and cultures, proven when she supported the idea of creating an alliance with the Gods of Norse Mythology.

"Anyone else is coming?" He inquired, already dreading the answer.

"Not yet, but Miakis and Irina were volunteering to come as far as I know," She responded quietly. "Kagura is still in Germany, so she will probably receive her targets when she returns."

He nodded, "Where is your equipment?" And then asked.

"It's in the lobby." Xenovia replied.

Link nodded and focused on the road before him. Both remained silent the rest of the walk.

 **Part 13**

"Already leaving? You know we still have one day of relax before parting to find our targets, right?"

Link noticed Dulio Gesualdo, who was by a fountain just outside the Holy Headquarters. The large garden was simply beautiful, and the fountain resembled a man with beard, who wore a robe. Water fell from the statues hands, creating a mystical sight.

The hylian adjusted his cap and treaded across the yard, followed by Xenovia, who now wore over her battle suit a white hooded cloak adorned with gold and blue embroideries. She also carried her weapon of choice, hidden beneath white fabric.

The midday light felt hot on their skins.

"You know me…" Was all Link said, while smirking.

"I honestly think I don't," Dulio chuckled. "You barely speak about yourself… or barely speak for that matter."

Pointing that out was unnecessary, Link concluded, but it seemed that Xenovia agreed as she was nodding. _'The nerve of that girl…'_ Link raised an eyebrow in disbelief, after all, this cheeky girl was pretty much like him. Not that it mattered anyway.

"Good day, Lord Gesualdo," Xenovia greeted him, ignoring the blank expression of the green-clad warrior. "By any chance have you seen Irina and Miakis?"

"Oh, I think they have been assigned to Angel Anarchy's team."

Link frowned.

 _'That sweet-maniac…'_

"Pardon my bluntness Lord Gesualdo, but how is she still an angel? She clearly stated that she was kicked out from the heaven she came from," Xenovia asked sharply. "Shouldn't Angel Anarchy be a fallen angel?"

Dulio put a thoughtful expression, rarely seen on his persona. Link folded his arms, also interested in the answer.

"That is hard to explain," Dulio glanced at Link briefly before continuing. "You see, she is angel from another heaven. Remember Miakis?" Xenovia nodded, Link narrowed his gaze, "When Irina brought that girl, Miakis said that she came from another world, totally different than ours."

"I… do recall that."

Dulio continued to elaborate, "Archangel Michael has no recollection of Angel Anarchy at all, yet he stated that she was a full-fledged angel. If she is still one despite that she was kicked out from her heaven, then I can only assume that God haven't abandoned her yet. Besides, maybe the rules from her own heaven differ from the one we know."

Makes sense, Link had to admit. He, who was an unknown body to this reality had modified the rules of the evil pieces, ignoring the laws of this world. It would be possible that people from other realities wouldn't totally abide by their set of rules.

"I wish those two luck," Link stated, turning around, "That angel is truly troublesome."

"Yeah… I'm more worried about Miakis than Erina though…" The blue-haired exorcist muttered, "There's something about that angel that seems fishy."

Dulio put both hands on his hip, kindly looking at Xenovia, "Maybe is the way she fights? But I'm completely sure that she is good. I had encountered myself angels with eccentric personalities as well, so don't put too much thought on it."

"Farewell, Dulio," Link gazed at him over his shoulder before moving forward.

"Wait…" Link stopped on his tracks, the man spoke seriously, "How are you feeling…" Dulio got no response so he added, "You're practically seventeen again, so maybe that curse wasn't that bad. Still, are you sure that Sun Wukong removed it completely? For my part, I'm good."

Link looked at him again over his shoulder, "He did, though I'm not sure if becoming a bit younger is good…"

Xenovia frowned, "What are you two talking about?"

Dulio chuckled, and spoke to Link again, "Well I don't mind being three years younger despite that we will leave three years less! We were lucky that Chinese curse didn't turn us to kids. The **Scorpion Demon** 's plan was rather cunning, I must say."

Link could agree with him, but only about the part of that Chinese demon being cunning. However, the curse that befell upon both Link and Dulio that was meant to take their years of life out of them, ultimately failed thanks to the intervention of the wielder of the **True Longinus** , **Cao Cao**.

Link had been careless in that occasion, the demon had managed to revive part of the army buried beneath the Great Wall of China, an army that belonged to the **Chinese Dragon King,** using her own life and part of theirs. Both were lucky that **Sun Wukong** arrived in time to remove the curse that continued to steal their very life.

Three years were stolen from Link, and he came with the conclusion that he was seventeen again due to the younger form of his body. His muscles weren't as worked out as they were before, and his blonde hair was a bit shorter, though he could still pin it down in a ponytail. He didn't even want to think how he would explain to Zelda and Malon that he was younger than them, when he returned to Hyrule.

"In any case, I'm fine, as you are apparently are."

Dulio smiled at Link's words before facing a confused Xenovia, "Don't worry my girl. That is only a matter of the past. "

She reluctantly nodded her head to the strongest exorcist, "We will be on our way then, Lord Gesualdo. Godspeed."

"Likewise, little Xenovia, likewise," He patted her head, "Please, look after Link. It seems that he is always plotting something. His eyes tell me that much, and whatever that is, be sure to stand by his side when he finally decides to act. I'm definitely sure it will be something worth witnessing."

Xenovia was left thoughtful as the blonde exorcist that wore a robe, walked inside the Victorian-styled building, chuckling as he scratched the back of his neck.

The girl turned around and quickened her pace to catch up with her partner.

Dulio suddenly shouted, "Don't forget to bring a souvenir and the best dishes!"

* * *

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Picture 03

* * *

Xenovia, already at the blonde's side, turned around, resting her weapon on the ground while Link cocked an eyebrow, arms crossed. There it was again, that obsession with food.

"We will…" She said, "If we can…"

 **Part 14**

Link folded his arms, musing a bit. Xenovia was sat in front of him inside a family restaurant in the city of **Toulouse**. Getting to the country called **France** had been rather easy thanks to the collaboration and influence of the Roman Catholic Church. Not to mention the **Arcs** that connected each one of the greater churches within **Europe** , **America** and certain countries of **Asia** and **Africa**.

*Munch* *Munch*

Link blinked, observing Xenovia.

"This is so good, whatever it was called!" Said the bluehead, using the fork to take a piece of juicy ground beef to her mouth. "It's… so delicious…"

"It's called Hachis Parmentier," Link informed as he read the menu list. "You chose it yourself, how come you forgot its name?"

Xenovia barely registered his voice as she dug in her food again. Link snickered, putting the menu list aside over the table and looked down at his own plate. His dish was called 'Magret de Canard', which was fried duck breast, called Magret in French, accompanied with sliced fried potatoes, chopped parsley and fried garlic on top.

It looked delicious, and upon taking a mouthful of duck to his mouth, he found out it was as delicious as it looked. He tasted the potatoes, and they were amazing as well. After swallowing, he couldn't help himself grinning happily.

If there was something Link considered good about this world was without any doubt the food variety that existed in each country he had visited. It was amazing the large selection of dishes each culture offered, based on the products each country produced. Of course, it was Dulio who had showed him what he called, the culinary world.

Cooks were well paid for their creativity and good seasoning. Link approved.

He was so impressed when Dulio took him to taste many dishes in China, he started to investigate about the cuisine from this world. He was not disappointed, in fact, Link came to the conclusion that Gastronomy, as it was called here, was one of the best things of this world.

"Link…" He blinked upon hearing his name.

"Hm?"

She looked serious. Maybe she was going to reveal something worth of interest for their mission. Link assumed a likewise expression.

"Can I take a bite of your food?"

Link almost fell from his chair at that. A couple of seconds later he sighed and pushed his plate. Xenovia quickly grabbed his fork and poked a portion of duck, taking it to her mouth.

"So good…" Her gaze moved to the ceiling, "Thank you god for this dinner."

"You should have used your own fork," He commented, deadpanning.

As he grew in the Hyrule Castle, the nobles, the King and Zelda herself had taught him lessons of etiquette, not only when speaking, but also when dinning. Link learnt how to use the cutlery so masterfully that Zelda brought him to dine with her and other nobles during important meetings in the castle. One important rule was to never use the cutlery of another person, which Xenovia just did. She was raised in the church, and for that reason she lacked common knowledge on the life of a normal person.

"Oh, sorry," The female exorcist put a hand on her mouth. "This is what they call the indirect kiss, isn't it?" She scratched her cheeks nervously, a soft tint of red on them. "I never meant it that way…"

Link cocked an eyebrow. He would have never thought that. The silence that followed was uncomfortable, so he changed the subject.

"We are being observed."

Xenovia blinked and looked around, noticing the multiple stares from the people on other tables. They muttered about them, and she wondered why. Her doubt though would be immediately cleared by her companion.

"It must be probably the cloak you are wearing," Link pointed out.

He didn't have to worry about his outfit as most people thought he was cosplaying, even in this country. Also, only those aware of the supernatural could see his ears' true shape, and despite the first problems his ears caused when Dulio brought him to the church, Link had managed to explain that he came from a world where such were common.

Of course, no one believed him, with the exception of Dulio Gesualdo, and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. In the end, the presence of a girl called **Miakis** helped his argument become more believable as she also came for another reality.

Maybe the Cardinal Ewald Cristaldi didn't trust him for that reason, who could know? He certainly didn't and he wasn't really interested in earning their approval. At least Griselda has shown to be very kind to him and thoughtful.

"Well, it doesn't really matter what other people think of us, we're not breaking any law as far as I know. Besides, it's not their business what other people chose to wear."

Her argument was valid.

"If we call too much attention, our target may elude us," Link explained his own point. "Will you risk the mission for such a trivial thing, Xenovia?"

She sighed, "You're correct, Link."

"In any case," He stood up. "Finish the rest of my food while I'll use the bathroom. Then we shall go meet with our informant."

She nodded as Link turned around, spotting a green door by the left.

 **o-0-O-0-o**

* * *

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Path of Legends: HxD: Chapter 02 Section: Song 06

* * *

Link stood in front of the sink, a white bulb on the ceiling illuminating the bathroom. As he looked at the mirror, he noticed something peculiar in the reflection. It was like, at his side, reality was being twisted somehow.

He turned his head to see cracks spreading over nothing. A form was made soon by these white cracks, it resembled a square. Opening as it was a mouth, a massive golden eye could be seen inside. It was familiar to Link.

"Great Red," The hylian muttered in surprise.

" **Kid, it's good to see you alive** ," His powerful voice echoed from the gap. " **I didn't expect less from you**."

Link spun around and leaned his hip on the sink, folding his arms and looking rather disgusted.

"Why the sudden visit?" The blond young man asked sharply.

" **Listen carefully, punk. Something interesting had occurred** ," The mighty voice said.

The former Hero of Time assumed a serious expression. Whatever was happening, he had to be ready, "What is it?" He asked, folding his arms.

" **The Death Piece has been created**."

Link blinked in surprise.

"Death piece…?"

" **Exactly, kid. Sona Sitri holds it. She made a pact with the son of Death, her eight pawns were transformed into the Death Piece, and she used it to seal the contract with him. The Devil Society had put her in observation, such as they did with the Fierce Deity while you stayed in the Gremory Manor.** "

Link was at loss for words. Whatever this meant, he could only assume that it must have something that was related to him as the Great Red itself had come to inform him of this unexpected event.

"Why does this concern me? I barely know Lady Sitri," Link inquired sternly, "Is it related to the Black Seeder?"

" **Who knows, punk?** " The grave voice chuckled, the mirror's glass cracking. " **Maybe you should find out yourself… hehehe…** "

Link had to sigh.

" **Also, someone had entered the dimensional gap** ," The draconian eye was moved from the tiny space within the floating cracks. " **You probably know who this is**."

Link's gaze widened the instant he looked at the person staring at him in shock. Now he knew for sure that things were about to get interesting, and really… **really** troublesome.

A smile spread across his lips regardless.

* * *

 **The plot is advancing, and soon we will reach the canon events. Rest assured that it will be good, like... fucking good.**

 **Any insight will be appreciated. Comments and questions as well. I continue writing for you people, so feel free to tell me anything.**

 **See you soon!**


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